Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27246464›Full record

SynthesisBMC public health2016

Direct comparisons of commercial weight-loss programs on weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure: a systematic review.

Rachit M Vakil, Ruchi S Doshi, Ambereen K Mehta, Zoobia W Chaudhry, David K Jacobs, Clare J Lee, Sara N Bleich, Jeanne M Clark, Kimberly A Gudzune

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC public health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Rachit M VakilThe Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ruchi S DoshiThe Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Ambereen K MehtaThe Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Zoobia W ChaudhryThe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
David K JacobsThe University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Clare J LeeThe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Sara N BleichThe Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Jeanne M ClarkThe Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Kimberly A GudzuneThe Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. gudzune@jhu.edu.

Funding

Translational Research Enhancement CoreP30DK089502 · NIDDK · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI ZACHOS, NICHOLAS CONSTANTINE · 2011 to 2020
$12.0M
JHU-UMD Diabetes Research CenterP30DK079637 · NIDDK · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI WONDISFORD, FREDRIC E. · 2013 to 2017
$9.7M
Institute for Clinical and Translational ResearchTL1TR001078 · NCATS · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI FORD, DANIEL ERNEST · 2013 to 2017
$1.9M
Reducing obesity among public housing residents: an ecological approachK23HL116601 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI GUDZUNE, KIMBERLY ANNE · 2013 to 2017
$778k
Racial Disparities in Physician Practice Patterns and Self-Management of ObesityK01HL096409 · NHLBI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI BLEICH, SARA NAOMI · 2009 to 2013
$699k
NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR001078NHLBI NIH HHS K01 HL096409NHLBI NIH HHS K23 HL116601NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK079637NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK089502
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundObesity is common in the U.S. and many individuals turn to commercial programs to lose weight. Our objective was to directly compare weight loss, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP) outcomes between commercially available weight-loss programs.

methodsWe conducted a systematic review by searching MEDLINE and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception to November 2014 and by using references identified by commercial programs. We included randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of at least 12 weeks duration that reported comparisons with other commercial weight-loss programs. Two reviewers extracted information on mean change in weight, waist circumference, SBP and DBP and assessed risk of bias.

resultsWe included seven articles representing three RCTs. Curves participants lost 1.8 kg (95%CI: 0.1, 3.5 kg) more than Weight Watchers in one comparison. There was no statistically significant difference in waist circumference change among the included programs. The mean reduction in SBP for SlimFast participants was 4.5 mmHg (95%CI: 0.4, 8.6 mmHg) more than that of Atkins participants in one comparison. There was no significant difference in mean DBP changes among programs.

conclusionsThere is limited evidence that any one of the commercial weight-loss programs has superior results for mean weight change, mean waist circumference change, or mean blood pressure change.

Indexed as

AdultBlood PressureFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedObesityWaist CircumferenceWeight Reduction ProgramsBlood pressureCommercial weight-loss programsWaist circumferenceWeight loss

Identifiers

PMID27246464
PMCPMC4888663

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.