Weight Loss Resources

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Contents:
    Choosing and Starting a Weight Loss Program
    Exercise, Diet, Behavior Modification Resources -- Nationwide
    Exercise, Diet, Behavior Modification Resources -- Seattle area
    Exercise, Diet, Behavior Modification Resources -- Other areas
    Physician Services
    Fad Diets
    False or Misleading Claims by Weight Loss Products and Programs
    Books
    Internet Tools and Information
    Organizations

Choosing and Starting a Weight Loss Program

• "Partnership For Healthy Weight Management" Announces New Voluntary Weight Loss Guidelines (Federal Trade Commission)

• Weight-loss Providers Agree to Help Consumers Make Better Choices (Weight-Control Information Network)

• Finding a Weight Loss Program That Works For You (pdf file) (Partnership for Healthy Weight Management), also available by writing to: The Partnership for Healthy Weight Management, Federal Trade Commission, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580

• Choosing a Safe and Successful Weight-Loss Program (Weight-Control Information Network)

• Commercial Weight Loss Products and Programs: What Consumers Stand to Gain and Lose (Federal Trade Commission, American Society for Clinical Nutrition, The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

• Setting Goals for Weight Loss (Partnership for Healthy Weight Management)

• Weight Loss For Life (Weight-Control Information Network)

 
• Weight Cycling (Weight-Control Information Network)

• Physical Activity & Weight Control (Weight-Control Information Network)

• Helping Your Overweight Child (Weight-Control Information Network)

Exercise, Diet, and Behavior Modification Resources -- Nationwide

• Healthy Habits for Life -- developed by the Washington State Dairy Council; 6-week program designed to help adults develop a healthy eating and activity plan; covers healthy weight, physical activity, basic nutrition, menu planning, shopping, eating out; designed for individual use or group programs

 
• HUGS International -- healthy eating, non-dieting, approach to weight loss and maintenance; emphasizes eating for energy, physical activity, and enjoyment; for adults and teens; includes self-help book, facilitated small groups, presentations, seminars, workshops
• drkoop.com article quoting program author
• Healthwatch.com article

 
• Just for Kids! -- program for children and young adolescents; designed for classroom, groups, or individual use; order Children's Workbook, and Instructor's Guide, through the internet
• results of study evaluating the "Just for Kids!" program

 
• LIFESTEPS® -- developed by the Dairy Council® of Utah/Nevada; a behavior-based weight management program first established in 1985; focuses on nutrition and physical activity; weekly sessions are led by trained health professionals in a small group setting; link to Contact Information to identify program coordinators in each state; toll free number 1-800-274-6455
• articles by B.K. Paulsen, S. Ross, and K. Petre and J. Gatto (written in 1987) describing the program, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association; full articles available in academic libraries with health sciences journals and through inter-library loan

• Overeaters Anonymous (505)891-2664, Find a Meeting

• Shapedown -- nationally recognized weight management program especially designed for overweight children and teens, and their families; emphasizes nutrition, fitness, body image and self-esteem; telephone: (415)453-8886
• locate a Shapedown provider
• King 5 News Healthwatch article
• WebMD article
• study evaluating the program for adolescents (Medline abstract)
• article describing use of the program by nurse practitioners (Medline abstract)
• study evaluating use of the program with obese adolescents with insulin-dependent diabetes (Medline abstract)

 
• The Solution Method -- healthy eating skills provided through a group program or on-line resources; participants learn 6 inner life skills which serve to turn off the drive to overeat and be inactive; groups are available nationwide and meet for 12-weeks during which participants explore the underlying causes of overeating and make lifestyle changes; developed at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine
• find a Solutions program support group
• study evaluating the effectiveness of this program (Medline abstract)
• article describing The Solution program

 
• TOPS  (Take Pounds Off Sensibly) --  a worldwide, non-profit organization that works to help people reach and maintain physician prescribed weight goals; includes weekly chapter meetings, retreats and other activities year round; has over 11,000 chapters worldwide; link to Chapter Locator on web page; telephone 1-(800)932-8677

 
• Weight Watchers -- nationally recognized weight loss and maintenance program; provides tools for healthy diets; includes facilitated group support; located throughout the country; telephone 1-(800)562-6962

 
• YMCA, YWCA -- fitness programs for children, teens, adults, and families; located in communities throughout the US; programs vary; locate centers in the yellow pages or using links from the YMCA/YWCA web site

Additional Sources:

• physicians and other medical providers may have referrals for nutrition counseling or weight management services within or outside their health plan

• weight loss services through sports gyms or weight loss centers often advertise in the phone book, on the internet, or in other media; most of these businesses are not affiliated with a medical facility; many employ few if any health professionals; to protect health and safety, individuals considering working with one of these businesses should confirm that the staff and managers are health professionals (medical doctors, registered dietitians, certified fitness trainers, licensed psychotherapists, etc.); also, they should always consult with their own doctor before taking medications or any herbal or other product for weight loss, as well as if they are greatly increasing their physical activity level

Exercise, Diet, and Behavior Modification Resources -- Greater Seattle Area

• Group Health Weight Management Programs -- available to both Group Health Cooperative patients and to those who are not Group Health members; focus on lifestyle, behavior, and self-care skills; multiple options. Seattle (206)527-6920 or 1-(888)874-7783 toll free

• Hall Health Adolescent Clinic, University of Washington -- services for adolescents and young adults (ages 11-21), including weight loss. For appointments and referral information call (206)616-2495

 
• Harborview Medical Center Weight Regulation Disorders Clinic -- patients must be referred to the clinic by their primary care provider; appointments (206)731-3241; 12 week class through the Patient and Family Resource Center (206)731-2000

 
• Shapedown
• locate a Shapedown provider
• programs in Washington as of March 2001:
• Bellingham: Whatcom County Health & Human Services (360)738-2505
• Mercer Island: Cheryl Marshall, RD (206)363-5420
• Spokane: Sacred Heart Medical Center (509)474-7417
• Vancouver: Southwest Washington Medical Center (360)514-2757
• future program: Seattle, Group Health Weight Management Programs (206)527-6920

 
• The Solution Method
• find a Solutions program support group
• programs in Washington (published on the Solution Method web site as of March 2001)
• Everett: Denice Keepin (425)770-3280 <familykg@msn.com>

and Cheryl Marshall (206)363-5420
• Seattle: Denice Keepin (425)770-3280 <familykg@msn.com>
          and Cheryl Marshall (206)363-5420
• Pullman: Dorthy Pond Smith (509)334-0537
• Tacoma: St. Joseph Medical Center (253)591-6618
• Wapato: Patsy Hollingbery (509)877-4005
• Yakima: Judy Casey (509)956-6287

 
• See more Nationwide resources, above

 
• See Additional Sources, above

Exercise, Diet, and Behavior Modification Resources -- Other Areas

see Nationwide resources, above

 

see Additional Sources, above

 

Oregon Health Sciences University, Center for Women's Health, Portland, Resources for Weight Management -- Programs: Shapedown, The Solution, Choices (Choosing Healthy Options Integrating Confidence, Exercise Eating and Support)

Physician Services

• American Society of Bariatric Physicians provides patient referrals to physicians who specialize in obesity treatment

 
• A description of clinical treatment of obesity, American Dietetic Association

 
• OnHealth internet articles discussing medical treatment of overweight or obesity (from HealthNews, by the publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine): Watching Weight Loss Drugs , Drugs Can't Replace Diets

 
• Jane Brody, New York Times Archives, Personal Health column 10/30/96; discussing prescription appetite suppressants

• Weight-Control Information Network (WIN), publications for consumers on medical treatments for weight loss

Fad Diets

• Self Magazine -- collection of articles comparing weight loss diets

 
• Womens Media.com -- information about fad diets

 
• Center for Science in the Public Interest -- article critical of the Zone diet

 
• Jane Brody, New York Times Archives, Personal Health column 12/25/96; critique of low protein diets; article text is also posted on another web site

 
• Nutrition's Sacred Cow: Don't mess with carbohydrates -- one nutrition professional's qualified support for the Zone Diet

 
• WebMD article

• Fad Diets (American Heart Association)

• Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths (Weight-Control Information Network)

False or Misleading Claims by Weight Loss Products and Programs

• How to Identify Weight Loss Fraud (Healthy Weight Network)

 
• New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs; article ("DCA Commissioner Slams Weight Loss Scams") which contains information on various useless weight loss products

 
• Quackwatch -- web site providing consumer protection information in many areas of health

• The Latest Weight Loss Gimmicks (M. Myers, MD, Inc.)

• The Skinny on Dieting (false claims by advertisers claims) (Federal Trade Commission)

• Search Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for actions against programs or products (use search term "weight loss" or "weight-loss", or specific program or product name)

Books

There are many books by reputable authors offering sound weight management guidance. The books listed below are only a sample of those available. These are recommended by the NWOPP and/or by the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, and other health professional organizations.

Gayle Alleman, Save Your Child From the Fat Epidemic: 7 Steps Every Parent Can Take to Ensure Healthy, Fit Children for Life (1999)

American Heart Association, Fitting in Fitness: Hundreds of Simple Ways to Put More Physical Activity into Your Life (1997)

Covert Bailey, The Fit-or-Fat Woman (1989); The New Fit or Fat (1991); Smart Eating: Choosing Wisely, Living Lean (1996); Smart Exercise: Burning Fat, Getting Fit (1996); The Ultimate Fit or Fat (2000); The Complete Fit or Fat Book (2001)

Jane Brody, Jane Brody's Nutrition Book: A Lifetime Guide to Good Eating for Better Health and Weight Control by the Personal Health Columnist of the New York Times (1989)

Roberta Duyff. The American Dietetic Association's Complete Food and Nutrition Guide (1996)

Anne Fletcher, Thin For Life: 10 Keys to Success From People Who Have Lost Weight & Kept It Off (1994)

Anne Fletcher, Eating Thin for Life: Food Secrets and Recipes from People Who Have Lost Weight & Kept It Off (1997)

Bob Greene and Oprah Winfrey, Make the Connection--Ten Steps to a Better Body and A Better Life (1996)

Donald Hensrud (editor), Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight (2000)

Jane Kirby, Dieting For Dummies (1998)

Laurel Mellin, The Solution: 6 Winning Ways to Permanent Weight Loss (1997)

Miriam Nelson, Strong Women Stay Slim (1998)

Dean Ornish, Eat More, Weigh Less: Dr. Dean Ornish's Life Choice Program for Losing Weight Safely While Eating Abundantly (1997)

Barbara Rolls and Robert Barnett, Volumetrics: Feel Full on Fewer Calories (2000)

Ellen Satter, Secrets of Feeding a Healthy Family (1999)

Ellen Satter, How to Get Your Kids to Eat . . . But Not Too Much (1987)

Weight Watchers, Weight Watcher’s New Complete Cookbook (1999)

Internet Tools and Information

American Heart Association
        Choose to Move (physical activity program)
        Physical Activity in Your Daily Life
        Hold It! Maintaining Weight Once It's Gone
        Lighten Up!
        Motivation Station

American Institute for Cancer Research
        Hints for a  Healthy Weight

Body Mass Index calculator

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

Food Guide Pyramid

LEARN (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, Nutrition) -- commercial web site promoting weight loss and management through lifestyle changes; provides information on-line and materials for purchase

The Mayo Clinic
        Healthy Weight Planner
        Healthy Weight Pyramid

Medem (Health care information written by doctors)

Meyers Information Services (web site on obesity)

Nutrition and Physical Activity (from the CDC)

Exercise for Overweight Kids (R. Parr, The Physician and Sports Medicine, 1998)

Shape Up America! (Surgeon General's program)

Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better

USDA (US Department of Agriculture)
        Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for Americans
        The Interactive Healthy Eating Index
        Nutrient Database Standard Reference

Weight-Control Information Network
           Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?
           Take Charge of Your Health: A Teenager's Guide to Better Health
           You Can Control Your Weight As You Quit Smoking

Organizations

American Association for Health and Fitness

American College of Sports Medicine

American Dietetic Association

American Obesity Association

American Running and Fitness Association

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity

Directory of Obesity, Weight Control, and Nutrition Organizations

Federal Trade Commission

Partnership for Healthy Weight Management

The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Washington Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity