One in 6 U.S. adults struggle with weight

HERSHEY, Pa., Sept. 6 (UPI) -- About one out of six Americans struggles with weight loss and few maintain weight loss, U.S. researchers say.

Dr. Jennifer Kraschnewski of Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and colleagues analyzed data from 14,306 people -- 52.3 percent men and 47.7 women -- from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 1999-2006. The nationwide survey evaluated the health and nutrition of a representative portion of the population.

The researchers' analysis found:

-- One-third stated a current goal of losing weight, with 82.6 percent classified as overweight or obese.

-- Thirty-six percent maintained a weight loss of at least 5 percent of their initial body weight. This is a higher rate than clinical trials, which have shown only 10 percent to 20 percent of individuals able to maintain a loss of at least 5 percent.

-- Women had a higher prevalence than men of a long-term weight loss of at least 10 percent

-- Sixty-nine percent of those reported weight loss of at least 10 pounds since last year said it was intentional and were most likely to be younger, females, non-Hispanic whites, with more than high-school education.

The study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, also finds those reporting diabetes experienced long-term weight loss maintenance -- versus 16.5 percent for those who didn't have diabetes.