@article {314471, title = {Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after "The Biggest Loser" competition.}, journal = {Obesity (Silver Spring)}, volume = {24}, year = {2016}, month = {2016 Aug}, pages = {1612-9}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To measure long-term changes in resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition in participants of "The Biggest Loser" competition.

METHODS: Body composition was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and RMR was determined by indirect calorimetry at baseline, at the end of the 30-week competition and 6 years later. Metabolic adaptation was defined as the residual RMR after adjusting for changes in body composition and age.

RESULTS: Of the 16 "Biggest Loser" competitors originally investigated, 14 participated in this follow-up study. Weight loss at the end of the competition was (mean {\textpm} SD) 58.3 {\textpm} 24.9 kg (P \< 0.0001), and RMR decreased by 610 {\textpm} 483 kcal/day (P = 0.0004). After 6 years, 41.0 {\textpm} 31.3 kg of the lost weight was regained (P = 0.0002), while RMR was 704 {\textpm} 427 kcal/day below baseline (P \< 0.0001) and metabolic adaptation was -499 {\textpm} 207 kcal/day (P \< 0.0001). Weight regain was not significantly correlated with metabolic adaptation at the competition{\textquoteright}s end (r = -0.1, P = 0.75), but those subjects maintaining greater weight loss at 6 years also experienced greater concurrent metabolic slowing (r = 0.59, P = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic adaptation persists over time and is likely a proportional, but incomplete, response to contemporaneous efforts to reduce body weight.

}, keywords = {Absorptiometry, Photon, Adult, Basal Metabolism, Body composition, Body Mass Index, Body Weight, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Morbid, Weight Loss}, issn = {1930-739X}, doi = {10.1002/oby.21538}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21538/abstract}, author = {Fothergill, Erin and Guo, Juen and Howard, Lilian and Kerns, Jennifer C and Knuth, Nicolas D and Brychta, Robert and Chen, Kong Y and Skarulis, Monica C and Walter, Mary and Walter, Peter J and Hall, Kevin D} }