Weight Watchers Points Plus: The Problem of 29

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Formulas

Looking closely at PointsPlus equations for women and men

The formulas for computation of the daily target are located in Equations 16-19 of the patents. In my prior article "Weight Watchers Introduces PointsPlus: A Critical Examination of the New Plan", I hand-waved at the formula as (target calories-1000)/35. But let's look more closely at the equations and specifically how a 40 year old, 5' 4" tall woman weighing between 110 to 250 pounds will have her daily target set. The image shows a graph for this woman.

PointsPlus Requirements for a 40 year old, 5'4" woman

Let's start with Equation 17, that computes the total energy expenditure (TEE) using gender (female), height (in meters), age, and weight (in kilograms): TEE = 387 - (7.31 * age) + 1.14 * (10.9 * weight + 660.7 * height).[FN2]

Next up, the adjusted total energy expenditure (ATEE) is computed with adjustments made for conversion cost of nutrients into usable form for the body (10%) and for foods treated as having zero PointsPlus value (add 200 calories): ATEE = TEE - (TEE * 0.10) + 200.
The real "magic" though happens in equation 19 where the fancy sounding "predetermined whole number benchmark data" or PWNB is computed. For the sake of sanity we will refer to this as the initial daily PointsPlus target (IDP): IDP = min(max((ATEE - 1000) / 35,29),71).[FN3]

To keep working in calories, we will look at the initial daily calorie target (IDC): IDC min(max((ATEE-1000), 1000), 2500).

The graph now highlights the first small shift, less of a calorie deficit than you would expect. But quick checks of these formulas in point terms lead to the quick revelation that Weight Watchers was sneaky, the IDP, or PWNB, does not match the targets anyone was given.

We will leave potential issues of patent invalidity due to failure to disclose the best mode to the side and focus on how the actual daily PointsPlus target is computed. The 49-weekly PointsPlus values, or 7 a day, is one missing piece. The other is another 4 that many believe relates to the foods with calories treated as having 0 PointsPlus value, e.g. fruit. But just subtracting 11 will not give the right results either. Weight Watchers still keeps the formula bounded below by 1000 calories, or 29 daiy PointsPlus values.

So appropriately modifying equation 19 in the patent for the actual daily PointsPlus target (ADP): ADP = min(max((max(ATEE-1000,1000) / 35) - 7 - 4, 29), 71).

Or keeping with calories, actual daily calorie target (ADC): ADC = min(max(max(ATEE-1000,1000) - 245 - 140, 1000),2500).

Interlude - An Analogy

Comparing Losing Weight on Weight Watchers PointsPlus to a Game Show

A friend came up with this analogy to explain where things came off the rails. Pretend you are going on an odd game show where the producers are giving you money each day based on a complex formula. You will be given between $1,000 and $2,500 a day. If the formula says you will get less than $1,000, the producers give you $1,000 anyhow. That's a smaller calorie deficit than expected, number one.

Now, the producers want you to be able to splurge now and again and also not have to worry about using the money for certain daily necessities. So they decide to put some of your daily money into a "weekly splurge and necessities fund" to the tune of about $400. However, these producers really do not want to hand out less than $1,000 a day to anyone, so the people who would go under $1,000 get that and the $400 also. Smaller calorie deficit than expected, number two.

Image: penywise at morguefile.

Quick Comparison - Male Participants on Weight Watchers PointsPlus

For quick comparison, similar graphs have been generated for a 40 year old, 5' 10" tall male at weights from 130 lbs to 260.[FN4]

Using the game show analogy, the man is never getting extra money at stage one, lower limit of $1000 and all of the "weekly splurge and necessities fund" is removed from his calorie target, ADC.

Conclusion on Weight Watchers PointsPlus and the 29 Point Daily Target

So let's go back to the 40 year old, 5' 4" woman and stop double-limiting her targets at 1000 calories. What would her targets look like?

That's right, smaller women would get targets based around roughly 600-800 calories (before weeklies and 0 PointsPlus value foods) or more like 17-23.

Remember: I do not advocate that anyone modify their Weight Watchers daily PointsPlus target to hit such a calorie range.

Some Thoughts in Weight Watchers' Defense:

Losing Weight on PointsPlus versus Points

If Weight Watchers actually recommended a sub-1000 calorie a day diet they would likely be called out as irresponsible in the press for the decision. The lowest level generally considered safe/acceptable is 1200 calories a day. However, previously daily targets were as low as 18 points a day, roughly 900 calories. But if a person consumed 1/7th of their 35 weekly Flex Points per day, that would bring the bottom daily consumption close to 1,150 calories.
On paper, the calorie target at the bottom of the new system and old systems are within 100 calories of each other: New = (29+7)*35 = 1260 versus Old = (18+5)*50 = 1,150. If you add in 0 PointPlus fruit, the New system is at 1260 + calories for the fruit.
Theoretically anyone consuming below the ATEE line should lose weight. Even for the women whose actual daily target is adjusted, they should lose weight as long as they are below the ATEE and they are unequivocally below the theoretical ATEE.

Footnotes

[FN1] Mathematical formulas are not, in and of themselves, patentable. See the US Supreme Court case of Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. 63 (1972). The terms Points and PointsPlus are trademarks of Weight Watchers; their use in discussing the patents is a nominative use to provide clarity to the article and to link the discussion to the patents. These calculations have not been verified or endorsed by Weight Watchers.
[FN2] Equation 16 is fairly similar and should be used for men.
[FN3] The actual boundaries in the patents are 1000 at the low end and 2500 at the high end, those line up with 29 and 71 PointsPlus values respectively.
[FN4] Weights under 130 would put the male at an underweight BMI and thus make the male ineligible for participation in Weight Watchers.

Sources for "Weight Watchers PointsPlus: The Problem of 29"

References utilized for this article

David Kirchhoff. "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans now out in the wild. The recommendations look curiously familiar... " Man Meets Scale, February 6, 2011.
US Patent Publication 2010/0080875A1, assigned to Weight Watchers International, Priority Date August 29, 2008.
Weight Watchers - Wikipedia entry.
Nicole Pellegrini. "Weight Watchers Introduces PointsPlus: A Critical Examination of the New Plan." Associated Content from Yahoo! January 23, 2011.
"Classic WW/Tuning the New Plan to Our Needs!" - SparkPeople Team.

Weight Watchers on Twitter

The official WeightWatchers Twitter account

WeightWatchers aka Weight Watchers

Follow @WeightWatchers

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What Others Are Saying about Weight Watchers and Points Plus

The Latest Blog Posts and News Articles

Latest Twitter Comments about Weight Watchers Points Plus

What Are Others Saying about PointsPlus Right Now?

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xxplumcrazeexx Aug 12, 2013 @ 12:59 pm
Friday, July 20, 2012... http://t.co/8Q2kaBtIXj Breakfast dailymenu dessert dinner entree's lunch pointsplus snack WeightWatchers
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AuntNanci Aug 12, 2013 @ 11:31 am
Yummy lunch! Hard boiled egg, cucumber, lemon hummus, and 19 pretzels. 7 weightwatchers pointsplus http://t.co/gCQyROXcHm
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shootingstar03 Aug 11, 2013 @ 5:14 pm
RT @TheDailyMel: Slow Cooker Paprika Pork Tenderloin - 3 PointsPlus weightwatchers - 160 calories http://t.co/Tu1k9HMS0k
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daniellefairlee Aug 10, 2013 @ 11:41 pm
RT @WeightWatchers: Sweet? Spicy? You decide the heat level with our 4 PointsPlus value entree: http://t.co/3tj66vFJj6
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WeightWatchers Aug 9, 2013 @ 10:50 am
@ashleyteat Hello, Ashley. Members can find PointsPlus values of many wines by entering the word 'wine' in the food tracker of their eTools.
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BikiniCountdown Aug 9, 2013 @ 8:38 am
Went back and tracked last night's bbq instead of ignoring it. Spent 52 points on dinner. Whoops! weightwatchers pointsplus
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ErnieGarcia95 Aug 9, 2013 @ 12:15 am
@ErnieGarcia95: FYI: The Roasted Garlic Sirloin at @Applebees is 12 @WeightWatchers PointsPlus (w/sides!) It's the simple things.
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