The Effectiveness of Commercial Weight Loss Programmes

A Randomised Control Trial of Commercial Weight Loss Programme in a Community Based Sample of Obese Adults.

The objective is to compare the effectiveness of 4 different commercial weight-loss diets available to adults in the UK.

This is achieved with a 6 month multi-centre randomised unblinded controlled trial of

• Dr Atkins' New Diet Revolution,
• The slimFast Plan,
• The weight Watchers Pure Points Programme,
• Rosemary Conley's "Eat Yourself Slim" Diet & Fitness Plan.
• No diet (control)

Subjects are a community based sample of 300 (60 per group) otherwise healthy overweight and obese adults.

Main outcome measures are weight and body fat change over 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Body mass index (BMI) > 27 and < 40 kg/m2.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of coronary heart disease
• Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes
• Renal, liver or respiratory failure
• Gout
• Taking lipid lowering or anti-hypertensive drugs
• History of obesity with known cause (i.e. Cushings disease, hypothyroidism)
• Previous gastric or weight loss surgery
• Taking any weight loss drug (including Orlistat or Sibutramine)
• Clinical depression
• Eating disorders
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Any malabsorptive state (including lactose intolerance)
• Being treated for a malignancy
• Being pregnant
• Breastfeeding