Association between the month of starting a weight management program and weight change in people at high risk of type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study
Authors' conclusion
People starting a weight management program in January lost 12% to 30% more weight than people starting it at other times of the year.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with nondiabetic hyperglycemia enrolled in a structured behavioral weight management program, English National Health Service (NHS) Diabetes Prevention Program; mean baseline BMI 30.3 kg/m²
- Participants
- 85,514 adults
- Exposure
- Starting a weight management program in January vs other months
- Outcome
- Mean difference between baseline and follow-up weight, adjusted for monthly variation in weight
- Follow-up
- End of the program
Methodological detailsrepeated measures models
- Repeated measures models
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Weight change vs January start
Less weight lost
0.28 kg
95% CI 0.10–0.45
March · less weight lost with March start
Less weight lost
0.71 kg
95% CI 0.55–0.87
November · less weight lost with November start
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Overall weight change · end of the program, after mean 7.9 (SD: 4.5) sessions over 6.4 (SD: 5.6) months
- Mean weight change
- −2.00 kg (95% CI −2.02 to −1.97 kg)
- Mean % weight change
- −2.33% (95% CI −2.35% to −2.32%)
Session attendance (mediator)
- Higher session attendance mediated the effects; January starters attended on average more sessions than other months
- 0.2 to 0.7 more sessions
Original publication
Association between the month of starting a weight management program and weight change in people at high risk of type 2 diabetes: A prospective cohort study. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 8 May 2023. doi:10.
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