What can the National Weight Control Registry teach us?

Given the high obesity rate and its economic burden, it is critical to better understand weight loss and maintenance. The National Weight Control Registry (NWCR) provides useful information about the strategies used by successful weight maintainers long term; recent data suggest that a diet with less food group variety will provide a lower calorie intake and that medical triggers have been associated with better initial weight loss and maintenance. The NWCR data suggest that long-term weight loss maintenance can be achieved and that health care practitioners may need to adjust weight control programs accordingly.