BACKGROUND: Recent randomized trials have shown that number of contacts between subjects and program counselors has a strong positive association with weight loss. It has been recommended that primary care providers refer patients to programs that can provide counseling and frequent contact. Few data are available, however, to explore the impact of contact frequency on weight loss in real world clinical settings. Take Charge Lite (TCL) is a state-of-the-art in-house primary care weight management program to which providers can refer overweight or obese English and Spanish-speaking patients. PURPOSE: To describe the association between contact frequency and weight change over one year of the TCL program. METHODS:Participants: The 403 subject sample was approximately 85% female, 48% white, 30% black, 19% Hispanic, and ranged in age from 19 to 81 (mean age was 47.6). Eleven percent were overweight (BMI 25-29.9), 24% class I obese (BMI 30-34.9), 22% class II obese (BMI 35-39.9), and 43% class IV obese (BMI ≥ 40). Measures: Contact frequency categories were 0 (n=37), 1 (n=67), 2 (n=84), 3 (n=64), 4 (n=36), 5 (n=26), 6 (6-10 contacts; n=56), and 7 (>10 contacts; n=33). Variables controlled in the model were age, sex, race, education, health literacy, BMI, smoking, substance abuse, psychological disorders, pregnancy, chronic disease, baseline selfefficacy, and self-regulation. Analysis: Ordinary least squares regression (n=320; 83 cases were lost due to missing data). RESULTS: Mean weight change for patients with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 contacts ranged from 3.9lbs gained to 2.3lbs lost. Patients with 6 to 10 contacts had a mean weight loss of 5.9lbs and patients with more than 10 contacts lost a mean of 6.7lbs. The multivariate regression model accounted for 18% of the variance in weight change. Weight change differed between those with 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 contacts versus those with more than 10 contacts. No other variables in the multivariate model had a statistically significant association with weight change. CONCLUSION: Contact frequency was associated with weight change in this realworld clinic-based weight management program. A minimum of six contacts was necessary to achieve a one-year mean weight loss of 5lbs or more.