Always in search of the miracle diet or the newest super-nutrient? Unfortunately, the skinny on obesity in the United States is that we don't seem to be getting any thinner. Almost two-thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese, increasing their risk of cardiovascular disease and other medical problems. Perhaps the most difficult part of weight loss is keeping that weight off for the long-term.

In a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers compared strategies for maintaining weight loss for over 2 years after initial weight loss in individuals at a high risk for future cardiovascular disease. For 6 months, all the participants (who had high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, or both) were involved in a group-based behavioral weight loss program under the guidance of a trained interventionist. After 6 months, the participants were assigned to one of three groups - self-direct weight loss maintenance, intervention with an interactive website to support weight loss maintenance, or monthly personal contact with an interventionist. After 30 months, the researchers found that participants who had personal contact with a weight loss interventionist regained significantly less weight than the other two groups.

Although more research is needed, it appears that social support - whether it's in the form of personal contact or interactive technology (which may offer an inexpensive and effective way of reaching a wider audience) - is an important component of maintaining weight loss and reducing the cardiovascular risk associated with obesity.