title: Weight loss maintenance for 2 years after a 6-month randomised controlled trial comparing education-only and group-based support in Japanese adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our previous study, a 6-month randomised controlled trial, demonstrated that a group-based support promoted weight loss as compared to an education-only intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine weight loss maintenance for 2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Originally, 188 overweight Japanese adults, aged 40-65 years, were randomly assigned to 3 groups: control, education-only or group-based support. After the 6-month intervention, 125 participants in the education-only and the group-based support groups were followed up for 2 years. The primary outcome was the amount of weight lost. The participants were retrospectively grouped into quartiles of percent weight loss for secondary analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of follow-up, the amount of weight lost in the education-only and the group-based support groups was the same (3.3 kg). Secondary analyses using data of those who completed the study (n = 100) revealed that the participants in the highest quartile of percent weight loss significantly increased their step counts and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity compared with the lowest quartile. No significant differences were observed in the energy intake among the four groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effects of group-based support disappear within 2 years. Increasing physical activity may be a crucial factor for successful maintenance of weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakata
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Hirohito
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sone
authors.forename: Kiyoji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006126:Group Processes; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D012944:Social Support; D016138:Walking; D015431:Weight Loss