TO THE EDITOR:
Gudzune and colleagues' review (1) underscores the need to enhance the modest weight loss that lifestyle or behavioral interventions typically produce. However, the manner in which they convey the designs and results of the included trials, although succinct, could be misinterpreted. First, the authors describe the comparators for the commercial programs as “control/education” (that is, placebo) or “behavioral counseling” (that is, active control). “Behavioral counseling” does not completely describe the comparator interventions, many of which included dietary and physical activity counseling over many visits and some of which differed only in terms of the macronutrient composition (2–4). ...
References
- 1.
Gudzune KA ,Doshi RS ,Mehta AK ,Chaudhry ZW ,Jacobs DK ,Vakil RM ,et al . Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: an updated systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162:501-12. [PMID:25844997 ] doi:10.7326/M14-2238 LinkGoogle Scholar - 2.
Foster GD ,Wyatt HR ,Hill JO ,Makris AP ,Rosenbaum DL ,Brill C ,et al . Weight and metabolic outcomes after 2 years on a low-carbohydrate versus low-fat diet: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2010;153:147-57. [PMID:20679559 ] doi:10.7326/0003-4819-153-3-201008030-00005 LinkGoogle Scholar - 3.
Gardner CD ,Kiazand A ,Alhassan S ,Kim S ,Stafford RS ,Balise RR ,et al . Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish, and LEARN diets for change in weight and related risk factors among overweight premenopausal women: the A TO Z Weight Loss Study: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2007;297:969-77. [PMID:17341711 ] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 4.
Shai I ,Schwarzfuchs D ,Henkin Y ,Shahar DR ,Witkow S ,Greenberg I ,et al ;Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT) Group . Weight loss with a low-carbohydrate, Mediterranean, or low-fat diet. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:229-41. [PMID:18635428 ] doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0708681 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar - 5.
Wee CC . The role of commercial weight-loss programs [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162:522-3. [PMID:25845000 ] doi:10.7326/M15-0429 LinkGoogle Scholar
Author, Article and Disclosure Information
From Center for Health Services Research in Primary Care, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L15-0312.
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