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Losing weight is hard, but keeping it off is harder — most successful dieters regain some or all lost weight within a few years. To pinpoint the best approach to weight-loss maintenance, New Zealand researchers recruited 200 overweight women (age range, 25–70) who had lost at least 5% of their body weight within the previous 6 months.
The women were randomized in a 2×2 factorial design to either high-carbohydrate or high-protein–high-fat diets and to either intensive multidisciplinary support or ordinary nursing support. Most participants were still obese (mean body-mass index, about 32 kg/m2). The nursing support involved weigh-ins every 2 weeks, single supportive phone calls on alternate weeks, monthly support groups, and assigned “buddies…