Weight Tracking and Weight Loss Outcomes: Establishing the Standard of Care
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Obesity Weight Loss |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Endocrinology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 64 |
| Updated: | 4/21/2016 |
| Start Date: | July 2012 |
| End Date: | October 2015 |
To achieve the long term goal of strengthening behavioral weight loss programs, the purpose
of this project is to test an enhanced, daily weight tracking instruction against the
current standard of care (weekly weight tracking) and an alternative mode of care (no weight
tracking).
The investigators postulate that daily weight tracking will boost ongoing awareness of and
engagement in dietary intake and physical activity monitoring, thus improving weight loss
outcomes. The central hypothesis of the study is that daily weight tracking will improve
weight loss processes and outcomes relative to less frequent weight tracking, without
adverse effects.
of this project is to test an enhanced, daily weight tracking instruction against the
current standard of care (weekly weight tracking) and an alternative mode of care (no weight
tracking).
The investigators postulate that daily weight tracking will boost ongoing awareness of and
engagement in dietary intake and physical activity monitoring, thus improving weight loss
outcomes. The central hypothesis of the study is that daily weight tracking will improve
weight loss processes and outcomes relative to less frequent weight tracking, without
adverse effects.
Given the pernicious reach of obesity and the evidence that current behavioral treatments
are modestly effective at changing weight, efforts to refine behavioral recommendations in
order to improve weight loss interventions are crucial. Frequency of tracking body weight
presents itself as a prime target for behavioral enhancement during weight loss. Daily
self-monitoring (e.g., of dietary intake and physical activity) is already well-established
as a central component of the behavioral weight loss process. However, the current standard
of care in behavioral weight loss with regard to weighing is weekly tracking of weight, and
some programs caution against any weight tracking. It has been suggested that frequent
weight tracking may have a negative impact on mental health and outcomes during weight loss,
but there are minimal data that address this concern experimentally in the context of an
active weight loss program. Observational evidence from behavioral weight control trials and
community studies suggests that greater frequency of tracking weight is associated with
better weight outcomes. Stronger experimental evidence is needed to establish a causal link
between weight tracking and weight outcomes and to elucidate the impact on mental health
during weight loss. To achieve the long-term goal of strengthening behavioral weight loss
programs, the purpose of this project is to test an enhanced, daily weight tracking
instruction against the current standard of care (weekly weight tracking) and an alternate
model of care with very limited data (no weight tracking). In pursuit of study goals, 336
overweight and obese adults will be recruited and randomized to one of three 12-month weight
loss interventions with a 12-month follow-up (24 months total time in study): the standard
of care (weekly weight tracking during weight loss), an enhanced condition (daily weight
tracking during weight loss), or a comparison condition (no weight tracking during weight
loss). The rationale behind this proposal is that within the context of social ecology and a
social-cognitive framework of behavior change, enhancement of this key environmental feature
(i.e., the weight tracking environment) during weight loss will contribute to success by
promoting self-efficacy for this critical behavior. Specific aims of the study will seek to
determine the effects of weight tracking frequency on the weight loss process and outcomes,
as well as to elucidate the effects of weight tracking frequency on mental health during
weight loss. This study will have the expected outcome of enhancing the standard of care for
weight loss, leading to better weight control for overweight and obese adults and thus
directly mitigating the public health impact of the obesity crisis.
are modestly effective at changing weight, efforts to refine behavioral recommendations in
order to improve weight loss interventions are crucial. Frequency of tracking body weight
presents itself as a prime target for behavioral enhancement during weight loss. Daily
self-monitoring (e.g., of dietary intake and physical activity) is already well-established
as a central component of the behavioral weight loss process. However, the current standard
of care in behavioral weight loss with regard to weighing is weekly tracking of weight, and
some programs caution against any weight tracking. It has been suggested that frequent
weight tracking may have a negative impact on mental health and outcomes during weight loss,
but there are minimal data that address this concern experimentally in the context of an
active weight loss program. Observational evidence from behavioral weight control trials and
community studies suggests that greater frequency of tracking weight is associated with
better weight outcomes. Stronger experimental evidence is needed to establish a causal link
between weight tracking and weight outcomes and to elucidate the impact on mental health
during weight loss. To achieve the long-term goal of strengthening behavioral weight loss
programs, the purpose of this project is to test an enhanced, daily weight tracking
instruction against the current standard of care (weekly weight tracking) and an alternate
model of care with very limited data (no weight tracking). In pursuit of study goals, 336
overweight and obese adults will be recruited and randomized to one of three 12-month weight
loss interventions with a 12-month follow-up (24 months total time in study): the standard
of care (weekly weight tracking during weight loss), an enhanced condition (daily weight
tracking during weight loss), or a comparison condition (no weight tracking during weight
loss). The rationale behind this proposal is that within the context of social ecology and a
social-cognitive framework of behavior change, enhancement of this key environmental feature
(i.e., the weight tracking environment) during weight loss will contribute to success by
promoting self-efficacy for this critical behavior. Specific aims of the study will seek to
determine the effects of weight tracking frequency on the weight loss process and outcomes,
as well as to elucidate the effects of weight tracking frequency on mental health during
weight loss. This study will have the expected outcome of enhancing the standard of care for
weight loss, leading to better weight control for overweight and obese adults and thus
directly mitigating the public health impact of the obesity crisis.
Inclusion Criteria:
- women and men
- 18-64 years of age
- BMI between 25.0 and 39.9 kg/m2 (overweight to obese)
- interest in joining a weight loss program
- have a computer, email, and wifi connection at home
- live in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota area
Exclusion Criteria:
- weight in the underweight to low normal (BMI < 22) or morbidly obese (BMI > 35)
ranges
- current eating disorder or history of eating disorders
- current major depression or psychotic disorder diagnosis
- current cardiovascular disease or diabetes diagnosis
- current participation in a weight loss program
- current pregnancy
- previous weight loss surgery
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