Providing commercial weight-loss programs free of charge to participants might be a worthwhile health care investment. Future studies should examine whether providing commercial programs free of charge to participants would be a cost-effective approach.
RENA R. WING, PH.D., is director of the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center at Miriam Hospital, Providence, R.I. Her comments were made in an editorial published online (JAMA 2010 Oct. 9 [Epub doi:10.1001/jama.2010.1529). She disclosed that preparation of the editorial was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
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