A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA, funded by Weight Watchers, found people who followed the Weight watchers Points program for two years lost an average of six pounds. Diligent participants - who attended at least 78 percent of the weekly meetings - lost an average of 11 pounds after two years on the program.

The average weight loss amongst Weight Watchers Points participants is not very much in comparison to what people hope they will lose, or what people need to lose in order to reach the desired, svelte self, reported study author Dr. Stanley Heshka.

Heshka suggests that people who need to lose a significant amount of weight fairly quickly for medical reasons may want to opt out of Weight Watchers Points program and similarly structured programs. However, this does not mean Weight Watchers Points system holds no benefit. While, on average, participants lost only small amounts of weight while enrolled in the structured Weight Watchers Points program, some lost much more, with the maximum amount of weight loss reaching around 50 pounds. The structured program seems to hold advantages over trying to lose the weight by yourself, Heshka said.

For people who are not yet obese but are experiencing an increase in weight, or have a family history of problems that can be aggravated by excess weight - such as heart disease or diabetes - Weight Watchers Points program may have a significant impact on health.