It is well documented that excess weight is a major risk factor for many ch
ronic diseases, and, despite considerable expenditure of time, money, and e
ffort, little or no progress has been made in reversing the trend toward in
creased weight. Although fitness and athletic clubs offer one potential for
tackling this problem, few provide information about the efficacy of their
weight-loss programs. There is general agreement that an efficacious weigh
t-loss program should reduce body fat, maintain or increase fat-free mass (
FFM), and lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This s
tudy was designed to compare changes in body composition and serum choleste
rol associated with participation in a fitness club program (EXP) versus ch
anges that occurred when participants pursued a program of their own choosi
ng (CTL). The EXP group participated in the Bally's Total Fitness program t
hat included exercise, behavior modification, and dietary supplements. Alth
ough only small differences in body weight were noted between groups, parti
cipation in the EXP program led to significant (sixfold) reductions in fat
mass, increases in FFM, and improvements in body composition. These data hi
ghlight the importance of using measures of body composition rather than sc
ale weight in evaluating the efficacy of weight-loss programs. Additionally
, the EXP group achieved significant reductions in total and LDL cholestero
l, particularly among individuals with baseline total cholesterol levels ab
ove 200 mu g/dL. It is also worth noting that respective cholesterol levels
were maintained for participants with total cholesterol levels between 150
and 199 mu g/dL and were increased for those with levels at or below 150 m
u g/dL.