Retrospective Examination of Class Attendance on Corporately Sponsored Weight Loss Programming: The Naturally Slim Experience.

Abstract

To examine the effect of class participation in participants enrolled in a corporate sponsored commercial weight loss program. We examined 111,262 participants for percent weight loss (primary outcome) using general linear models and weight loss relative to class participation (secondary outcome). We observed a significant trend (P < 0.001) for achieving significant weight loss for the entire cohort who lost 3.65% (99% CI, 3.62, 3.69) body weight. Individuals taking ≥4 classes (n = 87,346) lost 4.97% (99% CI, 4.53, 4.61). Those taking ≥9 classes (n = 74,525) achieved 4.95% (99% CI, 4.93, 5.01) weight loss. Similar patterns for men and women were observed within each analysis. Overall, participants lost a clinically beneficial (≥3%) amount of weight following class participation and greater class attendance produced a greater weight loss percentage approaching clinical significance (≥5%).