A new study has identified what really works when it comes to successful weight loss for young people.

Investigators surveyed 130 adolescents for the study, which is published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The adolescents – 62 of which had been successful in losing weight and 68 who had not – along with their parents were questioned about weight control strategies, sedentary behaviors, diet, physical activity, weighing frequency and current weight status.

They found that overall those who successfully shed pounds increased their exercise levels, drank less soda, walked and climbed stairs more often and weighed themselves more frequently.

"Our findings suggest that there are no magical solutions, and that behaviors such as eating more fruits and vegetables and eating less fat and decreasing sedentary time seem to offer the most promise for success," said the study’s co-author Dr Kerri Boutelle.

Adolescent obesity is a major public health problem that impacts one out of every three children in the U.S. And, previous research suggests that as many as 70 percent of obese children become obese adults, putting them at risk for a host of health issues including diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease.