Oral Presentation ANZOS-OSSANZ-AOCO Joint Annual Scientific Meeting 2017

I’ve done it once, I can do it again: a qualitative investigation into maintaining weight after fast weight loss - The TEMPO Diet Trial (#121)

Claudia Harper 1 , Michelle SH Hsu 1 , Jude Maher 2 , Radhika V Seimon 1 , Anne Grunseit 3 , Alice A Gibson 1 , Catherine Womack 4 , Amanda Sainsbury 1
  1. The Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  2. Faculty of Health, Science, Education and Engineering, The University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld, Australia
  3. Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney Medical School, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
  4. Department of Philosophy, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, USA

Aim:

Very low energy diets (VLEDs) effectively induce fast weight loss in people with obesity, but health professionals tend to use them only before bariatric surgery or as a last resort. Part of the rationale underpinning infrequent use may be that VLEDs do not teach lifestyle behaviour changes needed for long-term weight maintenance. However, little is known about the long-term lived experiences of people who have lost weight on a VLED. This study aimed to explore the behaviours and experiences of post-menopausal women who had followed a 16-week VLED as part of the TEMPO Diet Trial (ANZCTRN12612000651886). 

Method:

Qualitative in depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants. Transcribed interviews were analysed thematically using an inductive approach.

Results:

All participants reported significant weight loss while on the VLED, and all had maintained all or part of that weight loss at interview, at 1 or 2 years after VLED commencement. All participants reported that maintaining weight post-VLED was harder than losing weight with the VLED. Being on the VLED was reported to confer three main advantages in weight loss and maintenance. Firstly, the dramatic change in eating patterns was effective in breaking weight gain-inducing habits, allowing the women to “reset” their thinking about food. Secondly, the significant weight loss instilled motivation to keep it off and showed it was achievable. Thirdly, those who had regained weight, while disappointed, felt confident they had the skills to lose it again, having ‘proved to themselves’ they could do it. All participants continued to use meal replacement products as part of their maintenance strategy and would recommend the VLED to others.

Conclusion:

VLEDs administered under clinical supervision can confer confidence and motivation to maintain weight loss. These findings show that VLEDs can be successfully leveraged to set up healthy weight maintenance behaviours long term.