title: Initial weight loss goals: have they changed and do they matter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nearly 20 years ago, participants in behavioural weight loss programmes reported goals that greatly exceeded the amount of weight typically produced by these programmes. Whether having unrealistic weight loss goals impacts weight loss or attrition is unclear. The intent of the current study was to revisit current weight loss goals and examine whether goals impact outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults (N= 308, BMI = 33.7 ± 4.2 kg/m2) participated in a 12-month behavioural weight management programme and completed questionnaires about their goals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants' weight loss goal was 19.8 ± 7.9% of their body weight, and 90.4% selected a goal ≥10%. Weight goals were not associated with weight loss at 3 (p= 0.75) or 12 months (p= 0.47), or from 3 to 12 months (p= 0.55). Weight loss goals were not related to attrition at 3 (p= 0.91) or 12 months (p= 0.86). Participants believed that weight reduction would positively impact their health and psychosocial functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight loss goals have decreased, but still greatly exceed what can be expected by most. Unrealistic goals, however, had no impact on weight loss or attrition. These results question the utility of counseling people with obesity to set more realistic weight loss goals, which is typically practiced in behavioural weight management.
authors.affiliation: Geisinger Obesity Institute Geisinger Health System Danville PA USA.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lent
authors.affiliation: Weight Watchers International New York NY USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Vander Veur
authors.affiliation: Anschutz Health and Wellness Center University of Colorado Aurora CO USA.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Center for Obesity Research and Education Temple University Philadelphia PA USA.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Herring
authors.affiliation: Anschutz Health and Wellness Center University of Colorado Aurora CO USA.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania Health System Philadelphia PA USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tewksbury
authors.affiliation: Weight Watchers International New York NY USA.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Wojtanowski
authors.affiliation: Anschutz Health and Wellness Center University of Colorado Aurora CO USA.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Weight Watchers International New York NY USA.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Foster
keywords: Attrition; goals; weight loss