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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Falko Sniehotta, Dr Marta Marques
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
©2016 The Authors. Obesity Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the prevalence of personal weight control attempts (weight loss and/or maintenance) worldwide and to identify correlates, personal strategies used and the underlying motives. We included epidemiological/observational studies of adults (≥18 years) reporting prevalence of weight control attempts in the past-year. Seventy-two studies (n = 1,184,942) met eligibility criteria. Results from high quality studies showed that 42% of adults from general populations and 44% of adults from ethnic-minority populations reported trying to lose weight, and 23% of adults from general populations reported trying to maintain weight annually. In general population studies, higher prevalence of weight loss attempts was observed in the decade of 2000–2009 (48.2%), in Europe/Central Asia (61.3%) and in overweight/obese individuals and in women (p < 0.01). Of the 37 strategies (grouped in 10 domains of the Oxford Food and Activity Behaviours Taxonomy) and 12 motives reported for trying to control weight, exercising and dieting (within the energy compensation and restraint domains, respectively) and wellbeing and long-term health were the most prevalent. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review to investigate weight control attempts worldwide. Key strategies and motives were identified which have implications for future public health initiatives on weight control.
Author(s): Santos I, Sniehotta FF, Marques MM, Carraca EV, Teixeira PJ
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Obesity Reviews
Year: 2017
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Pages: 32-50
Print publication date: 01/01/2017
Online publication date: 21/09/2016
Acceptance date: 28/07/2016
ISSN (print): 1467-7881
ISSN (electronic): 1467-789X
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd
URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12466
DOI: 10.1111/obr.12466
