Does Allowing Patients to Choose Their Diets Affect Weight-Loss Success?

Adherence to a diet program is the best predictor of whether a patient will lose weight successfully. Veterans Affairs researchers evaluated the effect of allowing participants to select which diet program to initiate. A total of 105 adults (mean age, 55; body-mass index, ≥30 kg/m²) initially chose either a low-carbohydrate or a low-fat diet and were allowed to switch diets at 12 weeks; 102 additional participants (controls) were assigned randomly to a single diet for the entire duration of the study. All participants received diet counseling every 2 to 4 weeks.

In the choice group, most participants (58%) initially chose the low-carbohydrate diet; <5% of participants changed their preference at 12 weeks. At 48 weeks, mean weight loss was si…