is for 30 minutes of physical activity daily. 3 No current data shows how much physical activity is required to prevent weight gain in people who have never been obese. We also asked whether this group showed any signs of "metabolic abnormality" that might be a factor contributing to weight regain. We measured resting metabolic rate and body composition in a group of 50 National Weight Control Registry participants and in 50 matched, never-obese control subjects. Because resting metabolic rate varies with lean body mass, we determined the regression line for this relation in each group. We found no difference between groups, a result suggesting that resting metabolic rate in registry participants was appropriate for their fat-free body mass. We thus found no indication that registry participants had a low resting metabolic rate that could predispose them to regaining body weight. Quality of Life We asked participants how weight loss had affected their overall quality of life. Almost all participants (95%) reported that their overall quality of life was improved after weight loss. To summarize, almost all patients who successfully maintained long-term weight loss used both diet and physical activity to lose weight. These people also shared strategies for maintaining the weight loss: eating a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet; eating breakfast almost every day; weighing themselves frequently; and engaging in 60 to 90 minutes per day of moderate-intensity physical activity. Although we do not know for certain, we think that this behavior probably led to their success in keeping weight off.