Effects Of Age And Gender On Short-Term Weight Loss And Long-Term Weight Maintenance

Objective: To determine if there are differences in short-term weight loss and long-term weight maintenance success by age or gender.Methods: Patients were enrolled in a Midwestern weight loss clinic.The primary outcome measures were short-term weight loss success (achieving ≥ 10% of the initial body weight loss (IBWL) at three months) and long-term weight maintenance success (maintaining ≥ 10% IBWL at one year).Results: Patients 18 -45 years were more likely to achieve short-term weight loss success compared to those in the two other age categories (45-64 and ≥ 65 years).However, age was not a significant predictor for long-term weight maintenance success.Females had decreased odds (OR=0.47,95% CI 0.38, 0.59) of achieving short-term weight loss success, but had increased odds (OR=1.94,95% CI 1.02, 3.67) of achieving long-term weight maintenance success.Discussion: Age and Gender effect were different for short-term weight loss and long-term weight maintenance success.