title: Regular self-weighing to promote weight maintenance after intentional weight loss: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many overweight people take action to lose weight but most regain this weight.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effectiveness of a weight maintenance intervention focused on regular self-weighing after receiving a 12-week weight loss programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quasi-randomized controlled trial of 3768 obese or overweight men and women. The intervention group (n = 3290) received two telephone calls, the offer of free weighing scales, encouragement to weigh themselves weekly and record this on a card. The main outcome was change in weight between 3 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using intention to treat analysis both groups regained weight; however, the intervention group on average regained 1.23 kg, whereas the control group regained 1.83 kg. Adjusting for covariates resulted in a mean difference of 0.68 kg (95% CI 0.12, 1.24) at 12-month follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Encouraging people who have recently lost weight to weigh themselves regularly prevents some weight regain.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Claire D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aveyard
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jolly
authors.affiliation: NHS South Birmingham, Birmingham B38 5SR, UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Denley
authors.affiliation: NHS South Birmingham, Birmingham B38 5SR, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Daley
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012648:Self Care; D012944:Social Support; D013689:Telephone; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: behaviour change; obesity; self-weighing; weight maintenance