According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 41% of Americans are living with obesity. Many people will search for a solution to lose those extra pounds, such as investing in a commercial weight loss program. A majority of the time that strategy just doesn't work. Diet plans can help you lose weight at first, but keeping it off is where the real problem starts.
According to the National Weight Control Registry, roughly 80% of dieters who lose weight can not maintain that weight loss for 12 months; and will, on average, gain more than half of the weight back within two years.
Bariatric surgery is different. Many studies show that bariatric patients maintain 50% to 70% loss of excess weight 10+ years after bariatric surgery.
Commercial Weight Loss Programs: Not The Answer To Long-Term Weight-Loss
Very few commercial weight loss programs have been rigorously evaluated according to a study by John Hopkins researchers, making it difficult for doctors to refer patients to for-profit programs due to a lack of evidence-based success rates.
New York Bariatric Group surgeon Dr. Channing Chin explains why commercial programs don’t always work. “People often fail these low calorie diets because multiple changes occur within the body. The most difficult change to overcome is an increase in "hunger hormones," which inevitably leads to snacking. Low calorie diets can also slow down basal metabolic rate and muscle metabolism, and this results in fewer calories burned.”
Dr Chin adds that many commercial weight loss diets aren’t always as healthy as they may seem. “Depending on the diet and program, they can be unhealthy. Certain macro and micronutrients may be missing in a particular diet, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies. On the contrary, if a program is heavily weighted in foods high in fats, this can lead to an increase in cancer risk and coronary heart disease.”
The Expense of Commercial Weight Loss Programs
Commercial weight loss programs can also be expensive and hard to sustain for the long-term. Many of these programs require a person to sign up for a membership or buy pre-packaged food. The average cost ranges from about $570 and $680 a month, that includes membership fees and meals. There is no telling how long a person will have to be on the program or if the weight will stay off for good.
Many successful NYBG patients have expressed their disappointment with commercial weight- loss programs they tried in the past.
Robert lost 85 pounds after bariatric surgery with NY