Weight Watchers or WW is a commercial program for weight loss based on a point system, meals replacement and counseling. [1] [2]
Weight Watchers or WW is a commercial program for weight loss based on a point system, meals replacement and counseling. [1] [2]
The Weight Watchers diet tries to restrict energy to achieve a weight loss of 0.5 to 1.0 kg per week, [1] [3] which is the medically accepted standard rate of a viable weight loss strategy. [4] The dietary composition is akin to low-fat diets [1] or moderate-fat and low-carbohydrate diet [5] depending on the variant used.
Contrary to several other diets, Weight Watchers does not focus on the calories but simplifies food selection with a points-based system named "SmartPoints", where each food type is assigned a point value calculated according to their nutrient and energy density. A point equals 50 cal. The point values system define both a quality scale and a quantity limit: a food with low point values, such as high fiber carbohydrates, lean proteins, legumes, can be consumed more freely and in higher quantities, whereas food items with higher point values must be eaten with parsimony or avoided. Most fruits and vegetables are "free", as they have a zero points value, and thus can be consumed at will. [1] [6]
The parent company also produces meal replacements, which are "plug-in" meals that can be instantly consumed instead of the usual diet. Weight Watchers claims that meal replacements have been shown to outperform calorie-controlled diets, as there is less margin for errors and less decision-making and cooking skills are required. [1]
The dieters are also recommended to engage in regular physical activity as part of a broader lifestyle change to complement their dietary changes, [6] which mirrors the US national recommendations since 2013. [7] [8]
In addition to the diet and related consumable products made by the brand, the Weight Watchers includes counseling via weekly or monthly meetings, calorie targets, and online support. [1] [6] For children, online support, especially via social media, has shown mixed results. [9]
The Weight Watchers diet claims to produce weight loss comparable to other diets supervised by a nutrition professional. [1] [7] [10]
The scientific soundness of commercial diets by commercial weight management organizations (CWMOs) varies widely, being previously non-evidence-based, so there is only limited evidence supporting their use, including Weight Watchers, due notably to high attrition rates. [1] [2] [10] [3] [11] [12]
Weight Watchers claims to result in modest weight loss in the long-term, similarly to other commercial diets, [10] [11] [13] [14] non-commercial diets and standard care, [1] [7] although Weight Watchers may have less cardiovascular [15] and glucose-lowering benefits than other diets such as low-carbohydrates. [16]
In a trial comparing 4 weight loss diets, the drop-out rate for the Weight Watchers diet was 35% (compared to others which had up to 50% drop-outs). [17]
Two systematic reviews found that Weight Watchers was the most cost-effective commercial diet as of 2019 [update] . [18] [19]
 | This section needs additional citations for verification .(April 2021) |
Jean Nidetch, a housewife and mother living in Queens, New York City, conceived the original Weight Watchers diet and program in the 1960s, after her dissatisfaction with other weight loss programs, all of which failed except the "Prudent Diet", a diet developed in the 1950s by Dr. Norman Jolliffe, head of the New York City Board of Health's Bureau of Nutrition. Bringing inspiration from this successful but frustratingly difficult to sustain diet because of the lack of communication and its discouragement of peers discussions, Nidetch designed the original Weight Watchers around the same nutritional principles favoring lean meat, fish, skim milk, and fruits and vegetables, and banning alcohol, sweets, and fatty foods, but with the additional scheduling of support groups to foster discussion and motivation. It thus had lists of allowed and prohibited foods, and was more structured than subsequent versions of the Weight Watchers program, such as recommending weighing food portions, prohibiting skipping meals or counting calories, before later adopting a more flexible point based system, while keeping the group support meetings and personalized coaching which differentiated this diet from its predecessor. [20] [21]
As of 2013 [update] , over a million members attend its weekly group meetings over the world.
In 2018, Weight Watchers was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as 1st in "Best commercial diet", "Best Weight-Loss Diets" and "Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets" and 2nd in "Easiest Diets to Follow". [22]
Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated way to decrease, maintain, or increase body weight, or to prevent and treat diseases such as diabetes and obesity. As weight loss depends on calorie intake, different kinds of calorie-reduced diets, such as those emphasising particular macronutrients, have been shown to be no more effective than one another. As weight regain is common, diet success is best predicted by long-term adherence. Regardless, the outcome of a diet can vary widely depending on the individual.
The Atkins diet is a low-carbohydrate fad diet devised by Robert Atkins in the 1970s, marketed with claims that carbohydrate restriction is crucial to weight loss and that the diet offered "a high calorie way to stay thin forever".
Robert Coleman Atkins was an American physician and cardiologist, best known for the Atkins Diet, which requires close control of carbohydrate consumption and emphasizes protein and fat as the primary sources of dietary calories in addition to a controlled number of carbohydrates from vegetables.
Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat, or lean mass. Weight loss can either occur unintentionally because of malnourishment or an underlying disease, or from a conscious effort to improve an actual or perceived overweight or obese state. "Unexplained" weight loss that is not caused by reduction in calorific intake or increase in exercise is called cachexia and may be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
A fad diet is a diet that is popular, generally only for a short time, similar to fads in fashion, without being a standard scientific dietary recommendation, and often making unreasonable claims for fast weight loss or health improvements; as such is often considered a type of pseudoscientific diet. Fad diets are usually not supported by clinical research and their health recommendations are not peer-reviewed, thus they often make unsubstantiated statements about health and disease.
Low-carbohydrate diets restrict carbohydrate consumption relative to the average diet. Foods high in carbohydrates are limited, and replaced with foods containing a higher percentage of fat and protein, as well as low carbohydrate foods.
Calorie restriction is a dietary regimen that reduces the energy intake from foods and beverages without incurring malnutrition. The possible effect of calorie restriction on body weight management, longevity, and aging-associated diseases has been an active area of research.
SlimFast is an American company headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, that markets an eponymous brand of shakes, bars, snacks, packaged meals, and other dietary supplement foods sold in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Latin America, and the U.K. SlimFast promotes diets and weight loss plans featuring its food products.
A high-protein diet is a diet in which 20% or more of the total daily calories comes from protein. Many high protein diets are high in saturated fat and restrict intake of carbohydrates.
A healthy diet is a diet that maintains or improves overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, macronutrients such as protein, micronutrients such as vitamins, and adequate fibre and food energy.
The Cambridge Diet was a very-low-calorie meal replacement fad diet developed in the 1960s. The diet launched with different versions in the US and the UK. The US version filed for bankruptcy and shut down shortly after the deaths of several dieters. The UK diet has also been known as the Cambridge Weight Plan, but is now known as The 1:1 Diet.
The Montignac diet is a high-protein low-carbohydrate fad diet that was popular in the 1990s, mainly in Europe. It was invented by Frenchman Michel Montignac (1944–2010), an international executive for the pharmaceutical industry, who, like his father, was overweight in his youth. His method is aimed at people wishing to lose weight efficiently and lastingly, reduce risks of heart failure, and prevent diabetes.
A very-low-calorie diet (VLCD), also known as semistarvation diet and crash diet, is a type of diet with very or extremely low daily food energy consumption. VLCDs are defined as a diet of 800 kilocalories (3,300 kJ) per day or less. Modern medically supervised VLCDs use total meal replacements, with regulated formulations in Europe and Canada which contain the recommended daily requirements for vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fatty acids, protein and electrolyte balance. Carbohydrates may be entirely absent, or substituted for a portion of the protein; this choice has important metabolic effects. Medically supervised VLCDs have specific therapeutic applications for rapid weight loss, such as in morbid obesity or before a bariatric surgery, using formulated, nutritionally complete liquid meals containing 800 kilocalories or less per day for a maximum of 12 weeks.
A low-fat diet is one that restricts fat, and often saturated fat and cholesterol as well. Low-fat diets are intended to reduce the occurrence of conditions such as heart disease and obesity. For weight loss, they perform similarly to a low-carbohydrate diet, since macronutrient composition does not determine weight loss success. Fat provides nine calories per gram while carbohydrates and protein each provide four calories per gram. The Institute of Medicine recommends limiting fat intake to 35% of total calories to control saturated fat intake.
The Western pattern diet is a modern dietary pattern that is generally characterized by high intakes of pre-packaged foods, refined grains, red meat, processed meat, high-sugar drinks, candy and sweets, fried foods, industrially produced animal products, butter and other high-fat dairy products, eggs, potatoes, corn, and low intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, pasture-raised animal products, fish, nuts, and seeds.
Intermittent fasting is any of various meal timing schedules that cycle between voluntary fasting and non-fasting over a given period. Methods of intermittent fasting include alternate-day fasting, periodic fasting such as the 5:2 diet, and daily time-restricted eating (TRE).
The South Beach Diet is a popular fad diet developed by Arthur Agatston and promoted in a best-selling 2003 book. It emphasizes eating food with a low glycemic index, and categorizes carbohydrates and fats as "good" or "bad". Like other fad diets, it may have elements which are generally recognized as sensible, but it promises benefits not backed by supporting evidence or sound science.
Weight management refers to behaviors, techniques, and physiological processes that contribute to a person's ability to attain and maintain a healthy weight. Most weight management techniques encompass long-term lifestyle strategies that promote healthy eating and daily physical activity. Moreover, weight management involves developing meaningful ways to track weight over time and to identify ideal body weights for different individuals.
Management of obesity can include lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery. Although many studies have sought effective interventions, there is currently no evidence-based, well-defined, and efficient intervention to prevent obesity.
Fad-diets can be tempting as they offer a quick-fix to a long-term problem.
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