title: Probability of an Obese Person Attaining Normal Body Weight: Cohort Study Using Electronic Health Records.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the probability of an obese person attaining normal body weight.
  
  
  METHODS
  We drew a sample of individuals aged 20 years and older from the United Kingdom's Clinical Practice Research Datalink from 2004 to 2014. We analyzed data for 76,704 obese men and 99,791 obese women. We excluded participants who received bariatric surgery. We estimated the probability of attaining normal weight or 5% reduction in body weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During a maximum of 9 years' follow-up, 1283 men and 2245 women attained normal body weight. In simple obesity (body mass index = 30.0-34.9 kg/m(2)), the annual probability of attaining normal weight was 1 in 210 for men and 1 in 124 for women, increasing to 1 in 1290 for men and 1 in 677 for women with morbid obesity (body mass index = 40.0-44.9 kg/m(2)). The annual probability of achieving a 5% weight reduction was 1 in 8 for men and 1 in 7 for women with morbid obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The probability of attaining normal weight or maintaining weight loss is low. Obesity treatment frameworks grounded in community-based weight management programs may be ineffective.
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fildes
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charlton
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rudisill
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Littlejohns
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: A Toby
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Prevost
authors.affiliation: Alison Fildes, Judith Charlton, Peter Littlejohns, A. Toby Prevost, and Martin C. Gulliford are with the Department of Primary Care and Public Health Sciences, King's College London, London, UK. Caroline Rudisill is with the Department of Social Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London.
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gulliford
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056865:Ideal Body Weight; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000503:physiopathology; D011336:Probability; D006113:United Kingdom; D015431:Weight Loss