Facts on the Weight Watchers Diet

Weight Watchers started in the early 1960s under the direction of Jean Nidetch. Nidetch enlisted friends and family to meet with her in a relaxed setting with the intention of sharing weight loss techniques. Weight Watchers is now an international organization, with meeting locations around the world and a visible presence on the Internet, in print, television and in the grocery store.

Philosophy

The philosophy and goal of Weight Watchers is to help its members achieve a healthy weight through learning new eating strategies, developing an awareness of well-rounded nutrition and becoming more physically active. Rather than focusing solely on eating, Weight Watchers encourages each person enrolled in the program to use the information you gain from the materials and weekly meetings and weigh-ins and apply the knowledge for yourself. Taking ownership of your eating and activity choices while on the Weight Watchers program can help you succeed at long-term weight management.

Membership Options

For many years, the only way to join Weight Watchers was to physically attend a meeting in a storefront office in your community and register. Over the years, Weight Watchers has expanded its membership options to reach more people with their simple weight loss message. Although storefront offices are still available, you can also join and attend groups at community centers, in some churches and in your workplace. As of 2011, you can also join and follow the program completely online, without having to leave your home. Membership costs vary, and Weight Watchers regularly offers specials and discounts.

Types of Plans

In 2010, Weight Watchers unveiled its newest plan, PointsPlus. Since 1997, Weight Watchers has used a points system to help members control their food intake without counting calories. The newest version of the points program focuses on the fact that although you must reduce calories to lose weight, the calories in cakes or candy are not as nutritionally sound as the calories in fruit. The PointsPlus program still assigns points for foods, but some foods, such as fruits have zero points and other foods, such as high-fiber foods are called "power foods," meaning they fill you up. The number of points you receive changes based on your gender, height, activity level and age.

Expert Opinion

A two-year study published in the January 2005 edition of the "Journal of the American Medical Association" found that the average weight loss for a participant who followed the Weight Watchers program for a year was slightly more than 5 lbs. In August 2009, researcher Risto Moisio and colleagues published a study in the "Journal of Consumer Research" which found that the Weight Watchers weekly meetings not only instruct the participants in weight-loss techniques, but also functions as a support group as the members interact with each other in a supportive environment.