Some research findings presented at the recent meeting of the North American Association for the Study of Obesity:

Find a mentor, lose weight.

After 18 months, people who reduced their calorie intake, exercised and had another person regularly check in with them about their progress lost almost twice as much weight as those who didn't have such a mentor. "Social support adds accountability," says study leader John Jakicic, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh. A friend or co-worker can be your weight-loss mentor, he says; the important thing is to review your progress together at least weekly.

Online support helps keep weight off.

After you drop the pounds, the right Internet-based program can help you maintain your weight loss as effectively as a structured in-person program can, according to a 12-month University of Vermont study. To be successful, an online program must provide support similar to what you'd get during group meetings or one-on-one weight counseling, says lead researcher Jean Harvey-Berino, R.D., Ph.D. To find the best program on the Web, think about what worked for you in the past: Lots of support from others? Great recipes? Help with goal setting? For information on Shape's online weight-maintenance program, visit iShape.com.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group