Weight Loss and Healthy Diet Through Mobile Phone-enabled Social Interactions

August 31, 2015 updated by: Christopher Sciamanna, MD, MPH, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Enhancing the Sustainability of Weight Loss and Healthy Diet Through Mobile Phone-enabled Social Interactions

A randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of the social-enabled internet weight loss and diet change intervention with the delayed treatment group for 3 months. We will study the effect of adding social interactions and supports to an Internet weight loss and diet change intervention. The website intervention will have action planning with social interactions and support features for sharing, reusing, recommending, and discussing strategies for improving habits. We hypothesize that the intervention group with access to the website will lose more weight than the delayed treatment group after three months.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Over the past two decades a very simple, low-cost and consistently effective intervention has been developed that we believe has potential to be disseminated online in primary care. The intervention, "action planning" (AP), is also known as "if-then planning" or "implementation intentions". Action Planning is one element of the process of self-regulation (Wing et al 2006; Luszczynska et al 2007), in which individuals identify (1) situations that challenge their ability to perform a behavior and (2) make a specific plan for what they will do when the situation is next encountered. Luszczynska and colleagues observed that adding a single session of action planning onto a portion-controlled meal intervention increased the weight lost from 2.1 kg to 4.2 kg (Luszczynska et al 2007). A meta-analysis of 94 studies using AP, nearly all of which included a single-dose, observed a mean effect size of Cohen's d=.65, consistent with a medium to large effect. Studies of repeated doses appear to have even greater effects (Chapman and Armitage 2010). Dr. Sciamanna recently completed a pilot feasibility study in which 53 subjects used an AP intervention for weight loss for 2 months. All subjects attended a 1-hour introductory session about the use of portion-controlled meals and pedometers. Subjects were then emailed one AP writing prompt each day, representing one of the 21 of the most common barriers to weight control (Bond et al 2001). Despite receiving no personalized feedback, over 2 months the subjects wrote action plans, on an average of 4.2 days per week. After 2 months, the average weight loss was 7.7 pounds. These adherence levels, though short-term, are greater than typical web-based weight control interventions included in a recent Cochrane review (Wieland 2012). This pilot study suggests that this low-cost intervention approach may have unusual levels of fidelity. Even though the average activities of user engagement with AP is quite high in the first two months, there is a slight decline toward the third month. In focus group discussions after a pilot conducted by Dr. Sciamanna in the Philadelphia area, participants of the pilot indicated consistent difficulties in coming up with ideas for habits that might be useful. These observations motivates this proposed study.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
102

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States, 17033
        • Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

21 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Between 21-65 years old
  • English speaking
  • BMI from 27-50 kg/m2
  • Access to the Internet at home or work for most days of the week
  • Have current service for a smart phone with a camera and texting capability
  • Able to use mobile phone to take a picture and send it to someone
  • Able to use mobile phone to look for information on the internet using a search engine (such as Google)
  • Able to use mobile phone to send and receive text messages
  • Able to use mobile phone to send and receive emails
  • Access to a scale at home

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 3 months
  • Planning on moving out of the area in the next 6 months
  • Weigh more than 300 pounds
  • Participating in an internet or community weight loss program
  • Taking medication, prescription or over the counter for weight loss
  • Doctor has said you have a heart condition and should only do physical activity recommended by a doctor
  • Feel pain in chest when doing physical activity
  • In the past month feel pain in chest when not doing physical activity

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Website
Group will be asked to complete a daily plan online for specific situations that tempt people to overeat. The website can be accessed online using a computer or smart phone and will allow participants to view others' plans. Participants will also be asked to enter their weight online every week.
Behavioral: Website
Website will have action planning with social interactions and support features for sharing, reusing, and recommending strategies for improving habits.
Behavioral: Usual Care
Participants will record their weight and complete surveys online.
Active Comparator: Usual Care
Group will be given access to the online intervention after the 3-month study ends.
Behavioral: Usual Care
Participants will record their weight and complete surveys online.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Body Weight
Time Frame: 3 months
Body weight will be measured by a research assistant using a portable, digital scale.
3 months

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Demographics
Time Frame: 3 months
We will measure age, gender, race and ethnicity, smoking status, education and other demographics, based on standard self-report.
3 months
Hospital and Anxiety Scale
Time Frame: 3 months
This self-assessment scale has been found to be a reliable instruction for detecting states of depression and anxiety.
3 months
International Physical Activity Questionnaire
Time Frame: 3 months
The survey comprises a set of 4 questionnaires. The purpose of the questionnaires is to provide common instruments that can be used to obtain internationally comparable data on health-related physical activity.
3 months
Medications
Time Frame: 3 months
We will measure dose and quantity of all prescribed medications based on standard self-report.
3 months
Motivation scale
Time Frame: 3 months
This questionnaire asks participants how motivated they are to control their weight using non-comparative scaling.
3 months
Three Factor Eating Questionnaire
Time Frame: 3 months
The questionnaire measures three dimensions of dietary restraint: cognitive restraint, disinhibition, perceived hunger.
3 months
Weight Loss Habits
Time Frame: 3 months
This questionnaire asks participants to rate their frequency of use of weight loss habits using non-comparative scaling.
3 months
Adherence
Time Frame: 3 months
We will examine daily journal completion data overall (mean and median) and as percentage.
3 months
Satisfaction
Time Frame: 3 months
This questionnaire asks participants to provide feedback about the study.
3 months
Sedentary Behavior Questionnaire
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months
Well Being
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months
Weight Efficacy Questionnaire
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Penn State University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Christopher Sciamanna, MD, MPH, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
October 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
November 1, 2014

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
September 30, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 30, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
October 8, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 1, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
August 31, 2015

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 43474EP

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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