Effectiveness of a Self-Help Group in Obesity Control

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Abstract
Twenty-one local chapters of a nationwide self-help group for the control of obesity were studied in 1968 and again in 1970. Mean weight loss of individual members in the two surveys was remarkably similar-15.0 and 14.2 lb. Attrition rates were very high—47% at one year and 70% at two. Initial degree of overweight was strongly associated with duration of membership in this program; the more overweight members not only had lower attrition rates, they also lost more weight. Within individual chapters, there was a very large variance in mean weight loss, and chapters did not seem to maintain the same level of effectiveness during the two-year period. Introduction of behavior modification techniques is a possible method of improving the group's performance.

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