Are weight-loss competitions helpful?

The Biggest Loser, a reality television show that pushes people to lose weight, is a big hit in North America. But do such shows and competitions help people actually lose weight? I’m not sure about the TV shows, but when it comes to competitions, some researchers are saying “yes.”

In 2007, Rena Wing,professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Waren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, and her colleagues evaluated the Shape Up Rhode Island weight-loss competitions.  According to this article, Weight Loss Competitions Produce Encouraging Results, “Shape Up Rhode Island reduced the percentage of patients in the study who were obese from 39 percent to 31 percent. Researchers found that individuals who increased their activity the most achieved the best weight losses.”

Also of interest: “Of the initial participants, 3,311 people or 70.2 percent of participants completed at least 12 weeks of the study. Participants who were heavier at the start of the program lost more weight, as did those who generated greater jumps in their physical activity.”

Many businesses, social groups, and just groups of friends are starting to challenge each other to do certain activities geared towards fitness and weight loss. My husband’s company had a 10,000 steps per day challenge that lasted one work week. All participants were given a pedometer to help measure their progress. And, there’s a prize after for the team (of 5) who made the goal and had the highest total number of steps. Since his work place is a sit down work place, this forced some of the workers who don’t usually move around to be more active.

I know that in my husband’s case, although he’s extremely active as it is (he goes to the gym to run, exercise and do weights several times a week), he found that 10,000 steps was more than he realized. But if it can get others moving a bit more, even 5,000 steps per day, this was worth the effort put into it.

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