Evaluation of the sustainability of the Public Health Program "Slim without Diet (Schlank ohne Diät)".

Background: The prevalence of obesity and associated illnesses is continuously rising in industrialized countries. As a preventive measure, the Lower Austria Health Insurance Fund, together with the Institute of Social Medicine of the Medical University Vienna has launched the weight reduction program "Slim without Diet (SWD)". The Program's aim is to change the participants' eating and exercise habits.