To investigate the effects of intensive counseling on eating behavior and weight loss and maintenance and their associations.
A randomized weight loss counseling intervention with follow-up of 18 months, conducted between 2002-2004 at Oulu University Hospital, Finland included obese adults (n=82, body mass index >27 kg/m(2)). Subjects were randomized into 1) intensive counseling and 2) short-term counseling. Forty-nine subjects who completed the study were included. Eating behavior was repeatedly assessed by the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire-18 and Binge Eating Scale.
Eating behavior improved in both groups. Effect of counseling was -5.0+/-5.7 kg compared with -2.4+/-2.5 kg in the control group (p