• Carol Shieh, Mitchell R Knisely, Daniel Clark, and Janet S Carpenter.
• Department of Community and Health Systems, Indiana University School of Nursing, 600 Barnhill Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States. Electronic address: wshieh@iu.edu.
• Obes Res Clin Pract. 2016 Sep 1; 10 (5): 493-519.

BackgroundSelf-weighing increases a person's self-awareness of current weight and weight patterns. Increased self-weighing frequency can help an individual prevent weight gain. Literature, however, is limited in describing variability in self-weighing strategies and how the variability is associated with weight management outcomes.AimThis review analyzed self-weighing in weight management interventions and the effects of self-weighing on weight and other outcomes.MethodsTwenty-two articles from PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, and Academic Search Premier were extracted for review.ResultsThese 22 articles reported findings from 19 intervention trials, mostly on weight loss or weight gain prevention. The majority of the reviewed articles reported interventions that combined self-weighing with other self-monitoring strategies (64%), adopted daily self-weighing frequency (84%), and implemented interventions up to six months (59%). One-half of the articles mentioned that technology-enhanced or regular weight scales were given to study participants. Of the articles that provided efficacy data, 75% of self-weighing-only interventions and 67% of combined interventions demonstrated improved weight outcomes. No negative psychological effects were found.ConclusionsSelf-weighing is likely to improve weight outcomes, particularly when performed daily or weekly, without causing untoward adverse effects. Weight management interventions could consider including this strategy.Copyright © 2016 Asia Oceania Association for the Study of Obesity. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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