July 5, 2008 In the first study of its kind, using sophisticated
methods to measure body composition, the nationally known
commercial weight loss program, Weight Watchers, was compared to
gym membership programs to find out which method wins in the
game of good health. A University of Missouri researcher
examined the real-life experiences of participants to determine
which program helps people lose pounds, reduce body fat and gain
health benefits. The answer is that both have pros and cons and
that a combination of the two produces the best results.
Participants who attended Weight Watchers for 12 weeks lost an
average of 5 percent of their body weight, or about nine pounds.
However, Steve Ball, assistant professor of exercise physiology
in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, found that a
large percentage of the lost weight was lean tissue and not fat.
“Participants’ body fat percentage did not improve at all
because they lost a much higher percentage than expected of lean
tissue,” said Ball, MU E