HMR Program Named No. 1 "Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet" by U.S. News & World Report for Second Year in a Row

BOSTON, Jan. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- HMR Weight Management Services Corp. (HMR), a subsidiary of Merck, held its position as a No. 1 "Best Fast Weight-Loss Diet" in the 2017 Best Diets rankings released today by U.S. News & World Report. It's the second year in a row HMR earned the top spot in the category, which was added to the annual rankings list last year.

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"HMR's highly structured diet and lifestyle change program is designed to help people lose weight quickly while learning the skills they need to keep it off," said Carol Addy, M.D. MMSc, Chief Medical Officer at HMR. "Fast weight loss without lifestyle change isn't sustainable. HMR gets fast weight loss, but our true expertise is helping people learn realistic ways to incorporate new healthy behaviors into their everyday lives."

Get There Faster
A common misconception is that losing weight quickly is not healthy or sustainable, and will just lead to future weight re-gain. However, numerous clinical studies, including those reported in two recent articles, demonstrate that fast weight loss is just as effective as slow weight loss when it comes to maintaining weight over the long term

    --  An article in the New England Journal of Medicine (2013) reviewed
        several myths about obesity, including the advantages of gradual
        weight-loss over rapid weight-loss for long-term success. Based upon
        their review of the data, the authors concluded that compared to slow
        weight loss, greater and faster initial weight loss is associated with
        similar weight loss at the end of long-term follow-up. Further, the
        recommendation to lose weight "gradually" might interfere with the
        ultimate success of some weight-loss efforts.
    --  Results from a weight-loss study of more than 200 people published in
        The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (2014) showed 81 percent of the
        rapid weight loss group achieved their target weight loss compared to 50
        percent in the gradual weight-loss group, with no significant
        differences in weight regain. These results indicate that rapid
        weight-loss does not put individuals at risk for greater weight regain.
        Furthermore, more rapid weight loss may motivate some individuals to
        stick with their diet and achieve better results long term.

HMR programs achieve fast weight loss in a livable way by encouraging people to eat more and stay satisfied, which makes it easier to stick to the program in the short-term, and over the long haul. HMR focuses on three skill areas critical for weight-loss and weight maintenance: how to make healthier food choices, how to eat more fruits and vegetables and how to increase physical activity. Research has shown that practicing these skills may also help reduce the risk factors for the development of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer, and other chronic diseases.

Selected Weight Loss Results from Clinical Studies on the HMR Program
In a clinical study, 1,100 participants with a BMI of 40 or higher who completed at least 12 weeks of the HMR clinic program lost an average of up to 66 lbs. after 26 weeks for a mix of HMR Decision-Free(®) and Health Solutions(®) patients. A separate study showed participants using the Healthy Solutions(®) at Home program with phone coaching had a median weight loss of 23 lbs. over the first 12 weeks of the program.

The U.S. News & World Report Ranking Process
During the ranking process, reporters and editors from U.S. News & World Report created in-depth profiles of 38 diets. A panel of nationally recognized experts on diet, nutrition, obesity, food psychology, diabetes and heart disease rated the diets on their effectiveness.

About HMR Weight Management Services Corp. (HMR)
HMR Weight Management Services Corp. (HMR) is a part of Merck's Healthcare Services and Solutions business unit and specializes in improving the healthcare experience for patients, providers and payers. HMR programs, available in person or at home, offer lifestyle education, a structured diet and an emphasis on long-term weight and health management. Since 1983, HMR programs have been available in hospitals, clinics, and medical centers across the country. For more information, visit www.hmrprogram.com.

About Merck
For 125 years, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co. Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.

The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov).

US/HMR/1216/1333

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SOURCE HMR Weight Management Services Corp. (HMR)