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A study published Wednesday showed that people who dieted with Weight Watchers were more successful in losing weight than those who received standard weight loss care.
 
The study tracked dieters for one year in a randomized controlled trial – an esteemed scientific analysis. Individuals on the Weight Watchers diet stuck to the diet, lost more weight and fat mass, and reduced their waist measurements more than those administered standard weight loss care.

“This kind of research is important so that we can identify clinically effective interventions to treat obesity,” Susan Jebb told Reuters. Jebb led the study and is part of Britain’s Medical Research Council Human Nutrition Research Unit.

Researchers analyzed 772 overweight and obese adults in Australia, United Kingdom and Germany. About half were given free Weight Watchers memberships. The remaining half were given free standard care by primary-care physicians.

Weight Watchers International funded the study through a grant to the U.K. Medical Research Council. The study was performed as an investigator-led trial and an independent research team conducted all data collection and analysis. The study was published in the British medical journal, The Lancet. 

The authors of the study stated, “the sponsor had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report.”

The Washington Post reported that at the end of the study, Weight Watchers dieters had lost a mean of 15 pounds. Dieters under doctors’ guidance lost a mean of 7 pounds.

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