A weight loss camp, weight loss resort, retreat, or holiday, is a type of residential program where people who are overweight or obese go to lose weight through exercise and lifestyle changes.
The goal of the camps is to enhance the health of the campers, help them lose weight, raise their self-confidence and self-image, as well as teach them healthy life skills and choices. These camps provide weight-loss results of two to five pounds per week on average. However, the more overweight the camper, the more they generally lose in these programs. The effectiveness of these summer camps varies widely and usually depends on the quality of the individual program and biochemistry of the attending campers. Adolescents have joined programs over the years with many gaining self-confidence and satisfaction along the way.
Newer programs not only focus on weight loss, but also on changing behavior through a combination of training on self-regulatory behaviors and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to ensure that weight loss persists long after campers return home. Most experts believe these are key elements of an effective program.