The Results are in: Users of BodyMedia's Wearable Body-Monitoring Technology Lose 3 Times More Weight

SAN DIEGO, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- With obesity in America reaching alarming levels -- across our adult and youth populations -- results from a clinical trial unveiled by BodyMedia today confirm that participants who used BodyMedia's wearable body-monitoring technology either in conjunction with a group weight loss program or as part of their own self-directed program lost up to three times more weight than individuals who attempted to battle the bulge solo.  

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100311/NE67765 )

BodyMedia Inc., the pioneer in developing wearable body monitoring systems, shared results from the first 4-months of a clinical trial evaluating the impact of its wearable body-monitoring system on weight loss at the 29th Annual International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Trade Show and Convention today.

"The outcomes of this study show fresh, very promising results for people who are struggling to lose weight, " said Dr. Steven Blair, who conducted the study at The Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina.  "The results show that people who wear BodyMedia's body-monitoring technology while participating within a group weight loss program can lose up to three times as much weight as the participants who did not use BodyMedia's technology during the study.  For those who participated with only the aid of the BodyMedia armband and online web application (no group sessions), the results are equally encouraging: these participants lost more than twice as much weight as those without the benefit of the BodyMedia technology.  From my perspective and long experience in this field, I believe this technology can have a profound effect on weight loss, as well as leading to healthier lifestyles. This is a pioneering study as to the effect of a multi-sensor wearable body monitoring system on weight loss outcomes. I am unaware of another study incorporating wearable technology that has presented such a dramatic increase in results in support of a consumer's weight loss goals."

Based on the promise of the initial results from the first four months of the clinical trial, Dr. Blair indicated that the final results from the nine month study should show continuing weight loss trends as the participants continued to incorporate the BodyMedia wearable technology into their lifestyles.

"Given the critical issues in our country resulting from obesity and rising healthcare costs, it is very exciting to announce these groundbreaking results, which demonstrate how our technology is empowering people in their journey to lose weight, become more physically active, and improve their overall health," said Christine Robins, Chief Executive Officer of BodyMedia.  "This study confirms what we have been seeing from users of our products across the country -- that our technology works by providing an accurate way for people to know how many calories they are burning in comparison to the calories they are consuming each day.  BodyMedia's easy to use technology is proving to be a powerful tool to keep people motivated by showing real time results as they work to lose weight."  

Known as the Lifestyle Education for Activity and Nutrition for a Leaner You (LEAN), the study was conducted from February 2008 to December 2009 and followed 197 overweight or obese men and women, ages 18-65, who had access to the internet and were not engaged in an exercise program or a formal weight loss program.  Participants were divided into four groups:

• Individuals following a group weight loss counseling program;
• Individuals following a group weight loss counseling program combined with BodyMedia's wearable body-monitoring system;
• Individuals using BodyMedia's wearable body-monitoring system alone;
• A control group consisting of individuals who received only a weight loss manual.  

Dr. Blair added, "The initial study results show that wearable body monitors can be a useful weight loss tool alone, or when used with a standard weight loss program.  In either case, the results show the ability to support weight loss in overweight and obese adults."  

About BodyMedia, Inc.

Founded in 1999, BodyMedia, Inc. is the pioneer in developing wearable body monitoring systems designed to help people lose weight, improve performance, and live a healthier lifestyle.  Our patented multi-sensor technology has been adapted for a variety of markets,   enabling us to deliver validated products that monitor calorie expenditure, amount of physical activity, number of steps taken, and sleep efficiency.  No other comfortable, convenient, continuous body-monitoring product can measure physical activity and calories burned with BodyMedia's greater-than-90% accuracy. For more information, visit www.bodymedia.com or call 412-543-1345.

About The Norman J. Arnold School of Public Health (ASPH), University of South Carolina

The Arnold School of Public Health was established in 1975 and has an enrollment of more than 740 public health majors, including 490 graduate students and 250 undergraduates. The School currently employs 100 tenure and research track faculty. Based at USC's main campus in Columbia, ASPH is fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) through 2009, and is one of 40 accredited schools of public health in the United States. ASPH's major mission is the improvement of public health status by preventing health hazards and by promoting improved health services through its education, research, and service programs. The school is mandated to improve environmental quality, to strengthen health promotion and disease control efforts, and to improve health service delivery.

Results of the study were presented at the American Heart Association 50th Annual Joint Conference of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. San Francisco, CA. 2010 under the title, "Electronic Feedback in a Diet and Physical Activity-Based Lifestyle Intervention for Weight Loss: Randomized Controlled Trial."  

SOURCE BodyMedia, Inc.