Self-Weighing Instruction Feasibility Study

October 30, 2019 updated by: University of Minnesota
Scant data have been reported on the effects of weight self-monitoring during weight control. The purpose of this pilot project was to consider the questions: Is it possible to assign participants to engage in daily weight self-monitoring, and are there differential effects on mood of daily versus weekly weighing?

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study tested the feasibility of assigning participants to daily or weekly weighing, monitored adherence to weighing instructions, and tracked additional behavioral and psychosocial indicators over a period of six months. It was hypothesized that there would be no differences in mood or adherence between daily versus weekly weighing conditions. Knowledge about the benefits of frequent self-weighing may shape public health recommendations for regular weighing as a weight reduction or obesity prevention strategy.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

30

Phase

  • 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
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55454
        • University of Minnesota

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 64 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Body mass index between 25 and 35 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current weight loss program participation
  • Chronic health conditions (diabetes, cancer, heart disease, psychiatric disorders requiring medication)
  • Current or past eating disorder
  • Current pregnancy or pregnant in past year

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Daily Weight Tracking
weighing frequency instructions and tips
Behavioral: weighing frequency instructions and tips
Weekly emails with nutrition, physical activity, and weight tracking tips sent for 24 weeks
Experimental: Weekly Weight Tracking
weighing frequency instructions and tips
Behavioral: weighing frequency instructions and tips
Weekly emails with nutrition, physical activity, and weight tracking tips sent for 24 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adherence to Weight Tracking Instructions
Time Frame: 6 months
Participants were assigned to daily or weekly weight tracking, and were asked to return postcards once a week with weights recorded (7 for daily, 1 for weekly).
6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Changes in Depression Ratings
Time Frame: baseline to 6 months
Ratings of depressed mood, assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, were obtained at baseline, three, and six months; the comparison of depression scores between groups and over time from baseline to 3 and 6 months was considered as a secondary outcome and analyzed using repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Scores on the inventory range from 0 to 63, with higher scores indicating greater presence of depressive symptoms. Scores from 0-10 represent normal mood; 11-16 = mild mood disturbance; 17-20 = borderline clinical depression; 21-30 = moderate depression; 31-40 = severe depression; > 40 = extreme depression.
baseline to 6 months
Changes in Anxiety
Time Frame: baseline to 6 months
Ratings of anxiety, assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory, were assessed at baseline, three, and six months; a comparison of anxiety scores between groups and over time from baseline to 3 and 6 months was considered a secondary outcome and analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA. Possible scores on the scale range from 0-63. Scores from 0-7 indicate minimal anxiety; 8-15 = mild anxiety; 16-25 = moderate anxiety; 26-63 = severe anxiety.
baseline to 6 months
Changes in Body Image
Time Frame: baseline to 6 months
Changes in self-reported body image were assessed at baseline, three, and six months using the Appearance subscale of the Multidimensional Body Image Questionnaire. The subscale has a range of 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating better body image. A comparison of body image scores between groups and over time from baseline to 3 and 6 months was considered a secondary outcome and analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA.
baseline to 6 months
Changes in Barriers to Weight Tracking
Time Frame: baseline to 6 months
Perceived barriers to self-weighing were assessed at baseline, three, and six months using a scale created for this study. The scale has a range of 18 to 90, with higher scores indicating greater perceptions of barriers to self-weighing. A comparison of barriers scores between groups and over time from baseline to 3 and 6 months was considered a secondary outcome and analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA.
baseline to 6 months
Changes in Perceptions of Weight Tracking
Time Frame: three to six months
Perceptions of weight tracking (ease of remembering and understanding, usefulness, awareness, interest, reward value, satisfaction, motivational value) were assessed at three and six months using a scale created for the study. The scale has a range of 0 to 64, with higher scores indicating greater perceptions of favorability of weight tracking. A comparison of perceptions scores between groups and over time from 3 and 6 months was considered a secondary outcome and analyzed using repeated measures MANOVA.
three to six months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of Minnesota

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jennifer A Linde, Ph.D., University of Minnesota

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

October 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 16, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 17, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

October 22, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 1, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 30, 2019

Last Verified

October 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0807S41483

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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