National Weight Control Registry

Yet another goal….LOL

The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) was founded in 1993 and is a collaborative venture between Dr James Hill of the University of Colorado and Dr. Rena Wing of the University of Pittsburgh. The NWCR is simply a database of people successful at maintaining a weight loss.

The purpose of this national database is to identify a large group of people who have been successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. The NWCR uses quantitative measures to describe weight-loss and weight-maintenance strategies. This is NOT a treatment plan.

To date, there are over 2,000 people, from all over the United States, enrolled in the NWCR. People usually hear about the Registry from media releases and from word-of-mouth. We would like to extend our database to include more men and minorities.

To enroll in the NWCR, participants must have lost at least 30 lbs. (13.6 kg) and have maintained that loss for at least 1 year. Enrollment in the NWCR is limited to individuals aged 18 years and older. There is no cost to entering the Registry and no compensation for participation. Registrants names are kept confidential.

Participants in the NWCR fill out a packet of questionnaires when they are first enrolled. These questionnaires cover many areas related to weight loss and maintenance, e.g. timeline of weight changes, triggers to losing weight, exercise patterns and dietary habits (both during and following weight loss). Participants are sent additional questionnaires annually. Some registrants participate in other studies, at the University of Colorado, relating to body weight regulation.

Some things we have learned to date:

Successful weight losers report making substantial changes in eating and exercise habits to lose weight and to maintain their losses. On average, registrants report consuming about 1400 kcal/day (24 percent calories from fat) and expending about 400 kcal/day in physical exercise. Walking is the most frequently cited physical activity.

The average registrant has lost about 60 pounds and kept it off for about 5 years.

Two-thirds of these successful weight losers were overweight as children and 60 percent report a family history of obesity.

About 50 percent of participants lost weight on their own without any type of formal program or help.

Successful weight losers appear similar to normal weight individuals in terms of resting metabolic rate.

Interested successful weight losers* can contact the National Weight Control Registry at 1-800-606-NWCR.

*lost 30 or more pounds and kept it off for at least 1 year

I heard about this Registry on a recent CNN documentary. One of the things they mentioned about what all the people on the Registry have in common is that they weight themselves on a regular basis. I have conflicting feelings about that. Haven’t we had it drilled into our minds that the numbers on the scale mean nothing and that we should measure ourselves and gauge the way we…

feel instead? I wonder if, when it comes down to it, numbers on a scale mean more to us than anything. What about you, C? Do you/did you measure yourself or have you always just weighed? I still owe you an e-mail!

I never knew this existed! Thanks for the info.

fatcat

July 11, 2002

I saw the CNN documentary, too, found it to be very interesting. You’ll make it on that list, for sure!