Long-term weight gain prevention: A theoretically based Internet approach

Background. A major focus of Healthy People 2010 is promoting weight management and physical activity because overweight, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle are strongly associated with risk for heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancers, and premature death. Methods. Prevalence data and a focused review of weight management and physical activity studies point to the long-term weight gain prevention in normal weight (21–25 BMI), overweight (25–29 BMI), and even moderate obese (30–34 BMI) people as one alternative to prioritizing weight loss in health behavior interventions. This is because on a population basis annual weight gain is small (not, vert, similar0.8 kg/year) and preventing weight gain appears to require only an energy shift of about 100 cal/day either through a modest increase in physical activity and/or consuming slightly less calories to maintain an energy balance. A more dynamic use of social cognitive theory (SCT) for developing programs to maintain health behavior changes is emerging with some evidence of long-term maintenance. The high use of the Internet provides a vehicle to reach different population segments with readily accessible, SCT-tailored long-term programs. Research studies using the Internet with tailored SCT interventions have shown changes in nutrition practices, physical activity, and weight loss for up to a year. Conclusions. One promising approach to weight gain prevention in population segments is the development and wide spread use of longer-term Internet programs using specific principles and procedures from SCT.