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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017 Jul;25(7):1191-1198.
doi: 10.1002/oby.21842. Epub 2017 May 11.

Effects of an abbreviated obesity intervention supported by mobile technology: The ENGAGED randomized clinical trial

Bonnie Spring  1 , Christine A Pellegrini  1 , Angela Pfammatter  1 , Jennifer M Duncan  1 , Alex Pictor  1 , H Gene McFadden  1 , Juned Siddique  1 , Donald Hedeker  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of an abbreviated obesity intervention supported by mobile technology: The ENGAGED randomized clinical trial

Bonnie Spring et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effects on weight loss of three abbreviated behavioral weight loss interventions with and without coaching and mobile technology.

Methods: A randomized controlled efficacy study of three 6-month weight loss treatments was conducted in 96 adults with obesity: 1) self-guided (SELF), 2) standard (STND), or 3) technology-supported (TECH). STND and TECH received eight in-person group treatment sessions. SELF and STND used paper diaries to self-monitor diet, activity, and weight; TECH used a smartphone application with social networking features and wireless accelerometer.

Results: Weight loss was greater for TECH and STND than SELF at 6 months (-5.7 kg [95% confidence interval: -7.2 to -4.1] vs. -2.7 kg [95% confidence interval: -5.1 to -0.3], P < 0.05) but not 12 months. TECH and STND did not differ except that more STND (59%) than TECH (34%) achieved ≥ 5% weight loss at 6 months (P < 0.05). Self-monitoring adherence was greater in TECH than STND (P < 0.001), greater in both interventions than SELF (P < 0.001), and covaried with weight loss (r(84) = 0.36-0.51, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: Abbreviated behavioral counseling can produce clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of whether self-monitoring is performed on paper or smartphone, but long-term superiority over standard of care self-guided treatment is challenging to maintain.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01051713.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures: BS serves on scientific advisory boards for Actigraph and Arivale. The other authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of Participants Through the ENGAGED Study
Figure 2
Figure 2
ENGAGED Intervention and Assessment Timeline
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percent Weight Change at 3, 6, and 12 Months by Intervention Condition
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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