Evaluation of a Commercial Program on Weight Loss and Health Outcomes

August 22, 2017 updated by: Renee J. Rogers, University of Pittsburgh
While some evidence on weight change elicited from commercially available weight loss programs, such as Weight Watchers, is available, there is little evidence evaluating any health-related outcomes that result from losing weight through these programs. In addition, little data exists on the adherence and satisfaction of these types of programs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate body weight and health-related outcomes that are achieved from participating in a Weight Watchers program, along with program adherence and satisfaction. Men and women (N=150) that are participating in Weight Watchers weight loss program will undergo assessments at the University of Pittsburgh to evaluate outcomes related to the Weight Watchers 6 month intervention. Assessment visits, separate from the intervention, will take place at baseline (0 months), 3 months and 6 months for approximately 90 minutes at the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center. Participants will be asked to undergo assessments of body weight, height, aerobic stamina, functional fitness, flexibility, and complete a series of questionnaires related to demographics, program satisfaction, sleep quality, happiness, and food cravings. Adherence to the program will be measured by the number of group sessions attended.

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

There is a body of evidence that has evaluated the effect of Weight Watchers, a commercially available weight loss program, on changes in body weight. The current investigation aims to add to this body of evidence by providing additional data on changes in body weight and enhance the current evidence-base in regards to evaluating other health-related outcomes.

There is no evidence that demonstrates whether or not the weight loss as a result of the Weight Watchers program elicits changes in health-related outcomes related to aerobic capacity, flexibility, functional fitness, sleep, and other psychological measures. Additionally, within a scientific research protocol, measures of adherence and satisfaction have not been evaluated. This study will evaluate these outcomes beyond weight changes achieved across the 24-week program.

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.
150

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
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15261
        • Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center / University of Pittsburgh

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female over age 18. Set "soft quotas" on the number of male and female participants - The desire is to have a 90% female / 10% male split.
  • With or without previous Weight Watchers experience. Set quota on the number of participants with previous Weight Watchers experience at 65%.
  • Self reported height/weight resulting in a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27 to 43 kg/m2 (will re-screen at facility).
  • Self report that he/she feels the need to lose weight.
  • Willing to discontinue any current over-the-counter (OTC) supplements not recommended/prescribed by physician, with the exception of multivitamins or other vitamin supplement.
  • Willing to follow recommendations required by study protocol.
  • Willing to include demographic information (e.g., ethnicity, income and education).
  • Willing to participate in consumer surveys and focus groups as a part of the intervention.
  • Use of a personal smartphone on a daily basis. For Android devices, must be version 4.4 (code: KitKat) or 5.0 (codename: Lollipop). For iPhones, must be iOS6 and above. Cannot accommodate Blackberry devices.
  • The willingness and ability to navigate and use applications on their smartphone on a daily basis (minimum training will be provided).
  • Reliable home WiFi access

  • Ability to commit to attending up to 27 study visits in approximately 26 weeks:

    • Ability to commit (to best of their ability) to attending weekly meetings, 30-60 minutes in duration, at the same day and time each week for 24 consecutive weeks (daytime and evening options will be available).
    • Ability to commit to up to 3 additional study visits at Weeks 0, 12, and 24, each approximately 90 minutes in duration, to complete assessments (height, weight, questionnaires, physical measures).

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants that are currently following a commercial weight-loss program.
  • Participants that have been involved in a related market research program within the last 6 months.
  • Pregnant or nursing, or planning on becoming pregnant over the next 9 months.
  • Recent weight loss of ≥ 5 kg in the previous 3 months.
  • History of clinically diagnosed eating disorder.
  • Orthopedic limitations preventing participation in regular physical activity.
  • Untreated thyroid disease or > 1 change in dose or type of thyroid medication over previous 6 months.

  • Taking any prescription medication with known effects on appetite or weight.

    *With the exception of subjects on a stable dose of SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors) for 6 months.

  • Taking oral steroids.
  • Chronic/inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders (irritable bowel syndrome acceptable).
  • Previous surgical procedure for weight loss.
  • Major surgery within the previous 3 months.
  • History of heart problems (e.g., angina, bypass surgery, MI, etc) within previous 3 months.
  • Presence of implanted cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker.
  • Uncontrolled hypertension self-reported BP > 160/100mmHg)
  • Diuretic use for hypertension over 1.5mg per day
  • Diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • History of presence of cancer (completely respected basal or squamous cell carcinoma acceptable if treatment completed more than 6 months prior to enrollment).
  • Consuming more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week or not more than 3 drinks per day.
  • Planning to relocate in the next 9 months
  • Any orthopedic limitation preventing participation in regular 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: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group 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.
Other: Weight Watchers Intervention
All participants are enrolled in this single arm of the study. All participants receive the Weight Watchers intervention which consists of weekly group intervention/support meetings in which weight loss behaviors (diet, physical activity) are discussed.
Behavioral: Weight Watchers Intervention
All participants are enrolled in this single arm of the study. All participants receive the Weight Watchers intervention which consists of weekly group intervention/support meetings in which weight loss behaviors (diet, physical activity) are discussed.

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 Change
Time Frame: 6 months
To examine the effect of a 24-week commercially available weight loss program on weight change.
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Sleep Quality and Duration
Time Frame: 6 months
Sleep quality and duration. Participants will be asked to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at baseline, Months 3 and 6. The PSQI is a validated self-report measure of sleep duration and sleep quality.
6 months
Change in Happiness
Time Frame: 6 months
Participants will be asked to complete the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire at baseline, Months 3 and 6. The OHQ is a validated self-report measure for broad personal happiness. Respondents rate 29 sentences on a 6 point Likert scale (1, strongly disagree; 6, strong agree).
6 months
Change in Food Cravings
Time Frame: 6 months
The Food Craving Inventory-II (FCI-II) is a validated self-report measure for general cravings and cravings for specific types of foods and will be completed at baseline, Months 3 and 6. Respondents rate the frequency of cravings since the last time they completed the survey for each of 33 food items using a five-point Likert scale (1, never; 2, rarely; 3, sometimes; 4, often; 5, always/almost every day). The FCI-II consists of 5 scales (sweets, high fats, carbohydrates/starches, fast food fats, and fruits & vegetables) that constitute the higher order construct of food cravings (the total score).
6 months
Program Satisfaction
Time Frame: 6 months

Program Satisfaction. Two parts to evaluate:

  1. Satisfaction Survey. Participants will be asked to complete a program Satisfaction Survey. The Satisfaction Survey is a self-administered survey scored on a 5-point Likert scale.
  2. Open-ended Satisfaction Survey. Participants will be asked to complete a Open-ended Satisfaction survey that consist of 2 open-ended questions, and asked respondents to report on their satisfaction with the dietary plan.
6 months
Program Adherence
Time Frame: 6 months
Data on adherence (attendance at meetings and use of the points system) will also be collected. Attendance data will be recorded by Weight Watchers staff at every meeting. These data will be confirmed by a member of the research staff that will be attending the weekly Weight Watchers meetings. In addition, the weekly weights obtained at the intervention sessions will be provided to the investigators by the intervention staff to allow for examination of the trajectory of weight loss.
6 months
Change in Aerobic Capacity, Functional Fitness, Balance, Flexibility
Time Frame: 6 months

Aerobic Capacity: Participants will complete a 6 minute walk test on a designated walking course. The 6 minute walk test is a measure of functional and aerobic capacity. Participants will asked to walk at a brisk, yet comfortable pace for a total of 6 minutes.

Functional Fitness and Balance: The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) is a group of measures that combines the results of the gait speed, chair stand and balance tests to measure functional fitness.

Flexibility: Lower body flexibility will be assessed through the sit and reach test. The sit and reach is a common test to measure lower back and lower body flexibility. This will be collected 3 times with the best of 3 scores utilized.
6 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.
University of Pittsburgh

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: Renee J Rogers, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

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.
August 1, 2015

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.
March 1, 2016

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.
March 1, 2016

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).
October 12, 2015

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.
October 21, 2015

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 23, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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.
August 24, 2017

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 22, 2017

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, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • PRO15040047

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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