Washington, Sept 8 : Overweight and obese adults referred to Weight Watchers, a community based provider of weight-loss services, lost more than twice as much weight when compared with those who received standard care, according to a new study.

The study, the first of its kind, included participants who were recruited by primary care practices in the UK, Germany and Australia.

It looked at weight loss among 772 people randomised to attend Weight Watchers or to receive standard weight loss treatment in their primary care practice over a 12-month period.

Participants assigned to Weight Watchers lost, on average, more than twice as much weight as those in the standard care group.

They were also more than three times as likely to lose 10percent or more of their initial weight.

The significantly greater weight loss among Weight Watchers participants was accompanied by significantly greater reductions in waist size and fat mass, lessening the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

The data demonstrates how a brief intervention by the physician including referral to Weight Watchers can be successful on a large scale in helping those with excess weight achieve medically significant health benefits from losing weight.

The study was published in The Lancet. (ANI)