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Among commercial weighting - loss program , Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig show the strongest evidence that they can help dieter keep weight off for at least 12 months , a new study suggests .

Researchers found that after one twelvemonth , Jenny Craig participants lost an norm of 4.9 per centum more weight , and people enrolled in Weight Watchers lost an norm of 2.6 per centum more weighting than people who either dieted on their own , were afford printedadvice about weight unit lossor receive a few sessions of wellness educational activity and behavioral counseling .

Two women run on treadmills.

The study render that for the legal age of commercialweight - exit programsout there , researchers do n’t get laid whether or not they work , said lead author Dr. Kimberly Gudzune , a weighting - departure medical specialist and an assistant prof of medicine at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore .

" It ’s important for the world and doctors to know which programs help people to fall behind exercising weight , but also which ones aid tokeep it off , " Gudzune said .

Weight - passing winner

A smiling woman exercising on a cross-trainer at home

In this follow-up discipline , the researcher look for issue studies on weight - loss programs that were rigorous , prospicient - condition randomise controlled trials , which are considered the highest - quality data point to judge whether a programme works .

The research worker included only field of study that were at least 12 hebdomad long and were based on comprehensive weight unit - red plan , mean the programs emphasized nourishment and also offered behavioral counseling or societal support , although they may or may not have focused on physical activity . [ 7 Biggest Diet Myths ]

Only 39 studies of 11 weight - loss political program satisfy the researchers ' criteria to be include in the review . The 11 programs appraise included Weight Watchers , Jenny Craig , Nutrisystem , Health Management Resources ( HMR ) , Medifast , Optifast , Atkins , Slimfast and three Internet - based offering ( The Biggest Loser Club , eDiets and Lose It ! ) . Other programs that were not included had not done rigorous cogitation , the investigator enounce .

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" I had hoped more computer program had done more rigorous long - term trials in the 10 years since the last review study on this topic had been done , " Gudzune said .

Among the 11 programme , only the people who enter in Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers achievedsignificant weight unit lossthat was sustained for at least 12 calendar month , Gudzune told Live Science .

The findings , which were published today ( April 6 ) in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine , also revealed a few other programme with promising results early on on , such as at three or six months , but they lacked research on whether the weight loss was sustained after one year on the programme .

a photo of burgers and fries next to vegetables

For example , the researchers find that participants in the Nutrisystem programme accomplish at least 3.8 percent greater weighting loss after three calendar month than people who were not inscribe , but the political program lacked solid evidence of its long - terminal figure effectiveness .

commercial-grade free weight - loss program are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission , and although the means encourages programs to collect data on participants ' outcomes , it has n’t stipulated the type of study program should do , Gudzune said .

reach health benefit

A woman standing on a smart scale

As a physician who sees weight unit - passing patients , Gudzune said she need more program options in her tool boxwood when she is counseling people about programs that might meet their needs and budget , whether they are commercial programme , such as those assess in the work , or servicing offered through hospitals , clinic or dietitian .

It ’s not unreasonable for people who areinterested in exercising weight - loss programsto ask about the typical results that multitude have had in a program , in both the short and long term , so they can have naturalistic expectations , Gudzune said .

She said that although this reappraisal study found that participant in the best commercial program had minor exercising weight loss — of 3 to 5 per centum after 12 months — from a wellness perspective , such free weight loss is an important first goal to gain .

Our expert reviewer testing the Renpho Elis 1 smart scale

Obesity experts recommend a 3 to 5 percent weight passing as the first step to reach such key health benefits as loweringblood sugar levels , prevent diabetes and improving cholesterol , Gudzune said .

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