Weight Watchers is a diet program that teaches people how to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle through healthy eating, healthy habits and regular physical activity. Weight Watchers can be done online or in person. Weight Watchers can be individualized based on gender, age, physical ability, existing medical conditions, food preferences and diet goals.
History and Philosophy
Weight Watchers was founded by Jean Nidetch in the early 1960s in Queens, N.Y. Weight Watchers is designed around the concept that a lifestyle that supports mental, emotional and physical health is necessary for long-term weight loss and weight management. Weight Watchers says it doesn't tell people what to eat, it provides tools and knowledge people can use to make healthy decisions.
Points
The Weight Watchers diet plan is based on a point system. Every food is given a points value based on calories, fat and fiber, and every participant is allowed a daily number of points based on their health goals. Foods are not restricted, but participants must stay within their daily allotment of points.
Meetings
Onsite and online group meetings are an integral part of the Weight Watchers plan. Meetings provide an arena for Weight Watchers leaders to provide motivation, support, encouragement and instruction to participants. Meetings are also an opportunity for participants to share and celebrate their successes and learn from other participants about strategies to live a healthier lifestyle.
Exercise
Weight Watchers says the amount of exercise a person does depends on her health goal. General guidelines recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity on most days of the week. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 60 minutes of activity a day for weight loss. The International Association for the Study of Obesity recommends 45 to 60 minutes of activity a day to prevent weight gain.
Cost
The cost of Weight Watchers varies depending on the location. First-time members and members renewing their membership are asked to pay a one-time fee of $20 to $26. Individual meetings cost $13 to $14, but participants can purchase multiple meetings at a discounted rate. The online program has a sign-up fee of $29.95 and a monthly fee of $17.95. Weight Watchers also sells packaged food items, books, magazines and food scales.
Effectiveness
Researchers at Tufts-New England Medical Center reported in a 2005 article in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" that Weight Watchers can reduce weight and risk factors for heart disease. Researchers also said that increased weight loss is associated with increased adherence to the diet program. In a 2009 article from "Obesity Review," British researchers at the University of Teesside concluded that Weight Watchers and other diet plans that combine diet, exercise and behavior therapy reduced high blood pressure and improved the risk of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
References
- "Journal of the American Medical Association"; Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial; M.L. Dansiger, et al.; January 2005
- "Obesity Review"; Systematic review of long-term lifestyle interventions to prevent weight gain and morbidity in adults; T. Brown, et al.; November 2009
- Weight Watchers: Exercise Recommendations for Calorie-Burning Activity
- Weight Watchers: History and Philosophy
- Weight Watchers: How Weight Watchers Works
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