JumpstartMD commercial program seems effective for weight loss

(HealthDay)—The commercial low-calorie, low-carbohydrate JumpstartMD program is effective for weight loss, according to a study published online Jan. 21 in the Journal of Obesity.

Sean Bourke, M.D., from JumpstartMD in Burlingame, California, and colleagues examined the effectiveness of the commercial pay-as-you-go program emphasizing a low- to very low-carbohydrate real-food diet and optional pharmacologic treatment without prepackaged meals or meal replacement. Completer and last observation carried forward of clinical measured weight loss were examined for 18,769 female and 3,638 male JumpstartMD participants.

The researchers found that at three, six, and 12 months, completers lost a mean of 9.5, 12.6, and 12.0 percent of body weight, respectively; ≥10 percent weight loss was achieved by 44.5, 66.4, and 57.6 percent, respectively. A major determinant of weight loss was frequent health coach meetings; women and men who attended ≥75 percent of their weekly appointments lost 8.8 and 11.9 kg, 13.1 and 16.5 kg, and 16.5 and 19.4 kg, respectively, after three, six, and 12 months. A minor effect in women only was seen at one, two, and three months for phentermine and phendimetrazine; for the first three, six, and 12 months, treated patients had longer enrollment than nontreated patients.

“JumpstartMD appears to provide greater weight loss than most other published commercial programs,” the authors write.

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