Fifty subjects who completed a weight-reduction program at a fitness center were divided into two equal groups. Subjects in group 1 were immediately assigned to a support group that met weekly.

Subjects in group 2 did not participate in support group activities. All subjects were followed for a period of 60 weeks. They reported weekly to the fitness center, where they were weighed and a determination was made as to whether they were within goal. Subjects were considered to be within goal if their weekly weight was within 5 pounds of their weight at time of completion of the weightreduction program. Survival was measured from the date of completion of the weight-reduction program to the termination of follow-up or the point at which the subject exceeded goal. The following results were observed:

Subject Time

(Weeks)

Status

(G ¼ Within Goal Gþ ¼ Exceeded Goal L ¼ Lost to Follow-Up) Subject Time

(Weeks)

Status

(G ¼ Within Goal Gþ ¼ Exceeded Goal L ¼ Lost to Follow-Up)

Group 1 Group 2 1 60 G 1 20 Gþ

2 32 L 2 26 Gþ

3 60 G 3 10 Gþ

4 22 L 4 2 Gþ

56 Gþ 5 36 Gþ

6 60 G 6 10 Gþ

7 60 G 7 20 Gþ

8 20 Gþ 8 18 L 9 32 Gþ 9 15 Gþ

10 60 G 10 22 Gþ

11 60 G 11 4 Gþ

12 8 Gþ 12 12 Gþ

13 60 G 13 24 Gþ
14 60 G 14 6 Gþ
15 60 G 15 18 Gþ
16 14 L 16 3 Gþ
17 16 Gþ 17 27 Gþ
18 24 L 18 22 Gþ
19 34 L 19 8 Gþ
20 60 G 20 10 L 21 40 L 21 32 Gþ
22 26 L 22 7 Gþ
23 60 G 23 8 Gþ
24 60 G 24 28 Gþ
25 52 L 25 7 Gþ