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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Mar:114:106678.
doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2022.106678. Epub 2022 Jan 8.

Effectiveness of "run-ins" at predicting adherence in a behavioral weight loss efficacy trial

Tricia M Leahey  1 , Loneke T Blackman Carr  2 , Zeely Denmat  3 , Denise Fernandes  4 , Amy A Gorin  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effectiveness of "run-ins" at predicting adherence in a behavioral weight loss efficacy trial

Tricia M Leahey et al. Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 Mar.

Abstract

There is limited research on whether run-in procedures predict participant adherence during behavioral efficacy trials. This study examined whether information from behavioral run-ins (food diary completion, questionnaire completion, and staff interview) predict intervention adherence, trial retention, and trial outcomes in a behavioral weight loss trial. Using run-in data, trial staff predicted which participants would have high, moderate, or low trial adherence. Participants with predicted high or moderate adherence were randomized. Results showed that predicted high adherers had better intervention adherence (session attendance and completion of self-monitoring records) and superior trial outcomes (i.e. weight loss). Run-in data did not predict trial retention. Results suggest that run-ins may be effective at identifying participants adherent to intervention protocols, thereby enhancing internal validity of behavioral efficacy trials.

Keywords: Behavioral efficacy trial; Behavioral run-in; Intervention adherence; Trial outcomes; Trial retention; Weight loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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