Association Between Wake‐Time Movement Behaviors and Weight Loss Maintenance

Objective We examined whether wake‐time movement composition was associated with weight loss maintenance among individuals who experienced clinically meaningful weight loss (> 5% of initial weight) using compositional data analysis. Methods This was a secondary analysis from a behavioral weight loss maintenance intervention on weight regain over 12 months following clinically meaningful 3‐month weight loss. Body weight was assessed at baseline, after weight loss (3 months), and at end of intervention (15 months). Wake‐time behaviors (sedentary time [ST], light physical activity [LPA], and moderate‐to‐vigorous PA [MVPA]) were assessed at two time points during the maintenance intervention using accelerometry. Compositional data analysis was used to examine associations between wake‐time movement composition and weight regain (kg). Results Among 153 individuals (80.4% female, 69.9% White), wake‐time movement composition was related to weight regain ( p = 0.001). MVPA was negatively associated with weight regain ( p 's < 0.05). Reallocating 10 min/day from ST or LPA to MVPA was associated with less weight regain (ST: −0.32 kg [−0.53, −0.12]; LPA: −0.37 kg [−0.59, −0.15]). Individuals who maintained clinically meaningful weight loss and those who did not differed in wake‐time movement composition, driven by MVPA (36.1 vs. 24.3 min/day). Conclusions The composition of wake‐time behaviors, specifically MVPA, reduces weight regain after clinically meaningful weight loss in a behavioral weight loss maintenance intervention. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01664715