The effect of weight monitoring and recording on control of obesity and overweight

Abstract

Obesity is one of the dilemmas of the recent century and imposes huge costs related to its complications and diseases on people and societies. This study aims to investigate whether recording and monitoring weight and its changes can modify eating habits and therefore weight control. This is a quasi-experimental interventional study. Seventy nine of the staff of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation (USWR) were randomly placed in two intervention (N=40) and control (39) groups. A standard weight scale and height meter was used to measure weight, height and body mass index (BMI). For the intervention group, weight was measured, recorded and announced to the participants twice a week for 3 months. For the control group, weight measurement and recording was done once in the beginning of the study and once at the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver.11.5 and compared between groups. There were no significant differences in the average age between the groups. Mean pre-intervention weight was 87.08±10.9 Kg and 85.83±16.44 Kg in the intervention and control groups, respectively and was not significantly different. Mean post-intervention weight was 83.5 Kg in the intervention group, which was significantly different from pre-intervention weight. Mean post-intervention weight was 86.31 Kg in the control group that was not significantly different from pre-intervention weight. Recording and monitoring weight and its changes in overweight people can affect weight control since knowledge and insight about weight may motivate people to modify their eating habits. We therefore recommend this strategy as an adjuvant to weight control programs.