Randomised Controlled Trial of Four Commercial Weight Loss Programs in the UK: Initial Findings from the BBC "Diet Trials"

Truby H, Baic S, deLooy A, Fox KR, Livingstone MBE, Logan CM, Macdonald IA, Morgan LM, Taylor MA, Millward DJ. BMJ. 2006;332:1309-1314.

Objective

To compare the effectiveness of four adult weight loss diets in the United Kingdom (UK). The commercial weight loss programs were: the Slim-Fast Plan (two meal replacements each day), the Atkins diet, Weight Watchers and Rosemary Conley's eat yourself slim diet and fitness plan.

Methods

Total sample size of three hundred healthy overweight and obese adults (n=210 completed), with BMI between 27-40 and ages between 18-65, from the community were recruited in a multicenter, randomized (n=293, n=7 excluded) unblinded controlled parallel dietary intervention study with a delayed treatment control group (maintained current diet and exercise pattern) conducted at 5 regional centers over a 6-month period in which weight and body fat changes were measured.

Results

The 4 approaches were equally effective after 6 months, and all were more successful than no diet. Each diet resulted in significant reduction in percent body weight, with an average weight loss of 5.9 kg average body fat loss of 4.4 kg over the six months. All diets resulted in a clinically significant weight loss of around 10% after 12 months in those participants who complied with the originally prescribed diet. Behavior from 6 to 12 months pointed towards an advantage of group support.

Conclusion

In adults who are motivated to follow commercial diets such as Slim-Fast, clinically useful weight loss can be achieved (5-10% body weight) with limited support from health care professionals.

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