Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Self-Weighing Frequency Is Associated with Weight Gain Prevention over 2 Years Among Working Adults

  • Published:
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Little is known about the association between self-weighing frequency and weight gain prevention, particularly in worksite populations.

Purpose

The degree to which self-weighing frequency predicted 2-year body weight change in working adults was examined.

Method

The association between self-weighing frequency (monthly or less, weekly, daily, or more) and 24-month weight change was analyzed in a prospective cohort analysis (n = 1,222) as part of the larger HealthWorks trial.

Results

There was a significant interaction between follow-up self-weighing frequency and baseline body mass index. The difference in weight change ranged from −4.4 ± 0.8 kg weight loss among obese daily self-weighers to 2.1 ± 0.4 kg weight gain for participants at a healthy weight who reported monthly self-weighing.

Conclusion

More frequent self-weighing seemed to be most beneficial for obese individuals. These findings may aid in the refinement of self-weighing frequency recommendations used in the context of weight management interventions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. National Institute of Health. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. The evidence report. Obes Res. 1998;6 suppl 2:51S–209.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Ogden CL, Yanovski SZ, Carroll MD, Flegal KM. The epidemiology of obesity. Gastroenterology. 2007;132:2087–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson DF, Gail MH. Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity. JAMA. 2005;293:1861–7.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, McDowell MA, Flegal KM. Obesity among adults in the United States—no statistically significant chance since 2003–2004. NCHS Data Brief. 2007; Nov: 1–8.

  5. Morris MJ. Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of obesity. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. 2008;35:416–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Panagiotakos DB, Pitsavos C, Skoumas Y, et al. Abdominal obesity, blood glucose and apolipoprotein B levels are the best predictors of the incidence of hypercholesterolemia (2001–2006) among healthy adults: The ATTICA Study. Lipids Health Dis. 2008;7:11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Vazquez G, Duval S, Jacobs Jr DR, Silventoinen K. Comparison of body mass index, waist circumference, and waist/hip ratio in predicting incident diabetes: a meta-analysis. Epidemiol Rev. 2007;29:115–28.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Samanic C, Chow WH, Gridley G, Jarvholm B, Fraumeni Jr JF. Relation of body mass index to cancer risk in 362,552 Swedish men. Cancer Causes Control. 2006;17:901–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999–2004. JAMA. 2006;295:1549–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hill JO, Wyatt HR, Reed GW, Peters JC. Obesity and the environment: where do we go from here? Science. 2003;299:853–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Wing RR, Hill JO. Successful weight loss maintenance. Annu Rev Nutr. 2001;21:323–41.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Wing RR, Phelan S. Long-term weight loss maintenance. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005;82(1 suppl):222S–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Lang A, Froelicher ES. Management of overweight and obesity in adults: behavioral intervention for long-term weight loss and maintenance. Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2006;5:102–14.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Turk MW, Yang K, Hravnak M, Sereika SM, Ewing LJ, Burke LE. Randomized clinical trials of weight loss maintenance: a review. J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2009;24:58–80.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Dansinger ML, Tatsioni A, Wong JB, Chung M, Balk EM. Meta-analysis: the effect of dietary counseling for weight loss. Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:41–50.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Franz MJ, VanWormer JJ, Crain AL, et al. Weight-loss outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of weight-loss clinical trials with a minimum 1-year follow-up. J Am Diet Assoc. 2007;107:1755–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hill JO, Thompson H, Wyatt H. Weight maintenance: what’s missing? J Am Diet Assoc. 2005;105:S63–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Serdula MK, Khan LK, Dietz WH. Weight loss counseling revisited. JAMA. 2003;289:1747–50.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Lemmens VE, Oenema A, Klepp KI, Henriksen HB, Brug J. A systematic review of the evidence regarding efficacy of obesity prevention interventions among adults. Obes Rev. 2008;9:446–55.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sherwood NE, Jeffery RW, French SA, Hannan PJ, Murray DM. Predictors of weight gain in the Pound of Prevention study. Int J Obes. 2000;24:395–403.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dionne MM, Yeudall F. Monitoring of weight in weight loss programs: a double-edged sword? J Nutr Educ Behav. 2005;37:315–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Neumark-Sztainer D, van den Berg P, Hannan PJ, Story M. Self-weighing in adolescents: helpful or harmful? Longitudinal associations with body weight changes and disordered eating. J Adolesc Health. 2006;39:811–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. VanWormer JJ, French SA, Pereira MA, Welsh EM. The impact of regular self-weighing on weight management: a systematic literature review. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2008;5:54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Burke LE, Wang J, Sevick MA. Self-monitoring in weight loss: a systematic review of the literature. J Am Diet Assoc. 2011;111:92–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Jeffery RW, French SA. Preventing weight gain in adults: The Pound of Prevention study. Am J Public Health. 1999;89:747–51.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Linde JA, Jeffery RW, French SA, Pronk NP, Boyle RG. Self-weighing in weight gain prevention and weight loss trials. Ann Behav Med. 2005;30:210–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Wing RR, Tate DF, Gorin AA, Raynor HA, Fava JL. A self-regulation program for maintenance of weight loss. N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1563–71.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Levitsky DA, Garay J, Nausbaum M, Neighbors L, Dellavalle DM. Monitoring weight daily blocks the freshman weight gain: a model for combating the epidemic of obesity. Int J Obes. 2006;30:1003–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. McGuire MT, Wing RR, Klem ML, Hill JO. Behavioral strategies of individuals who have maintained long-term weight losses. Obes Res. 1999;7:334–41.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Kruger J, Blanck HM, Gillespie C. Dietary and physical activity behaviors among adults successful at weight loss maintenance. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2006;3:17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Linde JA, Jeffery RW, Finch EA, et al. Relation of body mass index to depression and weighing frequency in overweight women. Prev Med. 2007;45:75–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Jeffery RW, Sherwood NE, Brelje K, et al. Mail and phone interventions for weight loss in a managed-care setting: weigh-to-be one-year outcomes. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003;27:1584–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Butryn ML, Phelan S, Hill JO, Wing RR. Consistent self-monitoring of weight: a key component of successful weight loss maintenance. Obesity. 2007;15:3091–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. VanWormer JJ, Martinez AM, Martinson BC, et al. Self-weighing promotes weight loss for obese adults. Am J Prev Med. 2009;36:70–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Stevens J, Truesdale KP, McClain JE, Cai J. The definition of weight maintenance. Int J Obes. 2006;30:391–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Little RJ. Regression with missing X’s: a review. J Am Stat Assoc. 1992;87:1227–37.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The HealthWorks study was supported by grant no. DK067362 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (R. Jeffery, Principal Investigator; www.clinicaltrials.gov registry no. NCT00708461). This research was conducted as part of the first author’s requirements for completing his doctoral dissertation at the University of Minnesota.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Epidemiology Research Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation, 1000 North Oak Ave, Marshfield, WI, 54449, USA

    Jeffrey J. VanWormer

  2. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Jennifer A. Linde, Lisa J. Harnack, Steven D. Stovitz & Robert W. Jeffery

Authors
  1. Jeffrey J. VanWormer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jennifer A. Linde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lisa J. Harnack
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Steven D. Stovitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Robert W. Jeffery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeffrey J. VanWormer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

VanWormer, J.J., Linde, J.A., Harnack, L.J. et al. Self-Weighing Frequency Is Associated with Weight Gain Prevention over 2 Years Among Working Adults. Int.J. Behav. Med. 19, 351–358 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9178-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9178-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation