BMC Med

Rejoining weight‑loss programs offers long‑term stability despite smaller short‑term gains

February 26, 2026

A new long‑term analysis examined whether reengaging in lifestyle weight‑loss programs yields durable benefits, drawing on two consecutive 18‑month randomized dietary trials— CENTRAL (NCT01530724) and DIRECT‑PLUS (NCT03020186)—which together enrolled about 500 adults and used MRI to assess abdominal fat changes before and after each intervention. Among 480 participants with follow‑up data, 92 completed both programs. Although these “rejoiners” started their second program at roughly the same body weight as their first, suggesting full weight regain, they began with substantially healthier metabolic profiles, including 15% to 25% improvements in visceral fat, insulin sensitivity, and lipid markers relative to their initial baselines. They lost less weight and abdominal fat during the second intervention (e.g., weight, −1.5% vs. −3.5% in the first; visceral fat, −7.2% vs. −33.3%), but five years later had markedly less weight regain (+0.2% vs. +2.9%) and lower recovery of deep and superficial subcutaneous fat compared with participants who completed only one program. Overall, repeated engagement in structured lifestyle interventions produced meaningful, sustained metabolic advantages despite attenuated short‑term weight‑loss responses.

Clinical takeaway: Encourage motivated patients to reengage in structured lifestyle programs—repeat participation still delivers meaningful, durable metabolic benefits.

Source:

Klein H, et al. (2026, January 30). BMC Med. How effective is rejoining a long-term weight loss program? The 5- and 10-year MRI-assessed Follow Interventions Trial (FIT) project. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41612310/