Daily weight monitoring as a method of weight gain prevention in healthy weight and overweight young adult women

Abstract

Experimental research is needed to examine whether weight monitoring impacts weight and whether it has unintended harmful effects. This study randomly assigned 49 first-year university women (body mass index: 20–30 kg/m²) to daily weight monitoring or a control condition and measured weight, mood, body dissatisfaction, and unhealthy weight control behaviors at baseline and 8 weeks, and weight at 20-week follow-up. No harmful effects of daily weighing were detected; acceptability and adherence were high. Weight monitoring did not impact weight; both groups showed little weight gain. Results suggest that weight monitoring has minimal harmful effects and may be useful for preventing weight gain.