Web Based Intervention to Reduce Weight Bias Among Dietitians

Weight bias in dietitians is prevalent and may affect patient care. The investigators conducted a randomized controlled trial to test if explicit and implicit bias could be influenced by a short, 20 minute educational video.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Intervention Video (I); Weight Control Video (C1); Weight Neutral Control Video (C2)
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Online Educational Videos

Detailed Description

This randomized controlled trial studied the effect of three different videos on weight bias in a nationally representative sample of dietitians. The "intervention" group (I) watched a video about the etiology of obesity, reasons for weight regain, and how to talk to patients about weight. The first "control" group (C1) received information about the role of the environment and individual behavior in weight gain, and tools to help patients control their weight. The second control group (C2) received a weight neutral video about the role of dieticians in society. Bias measures were taken before and just after watching the video, and again one month later.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 166
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Lubbock, Texas, United States, 79409
      • Texas Tech University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Any dietitian in the Clinical Dietitian Registry Database.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention (I); This arm was randomized to a 20 min video that emphasized information about factors other than individual behaviors that influence weight, weight loss and ability to maintain weight. It also indirectly addressed weight bias by explaining how to have conversation about weight and health with a patient with obesity that is free of biases.	Other: Online Educational Videos; The videos were developed by the researchers based on a prior study to test if specific information about obesity and weight control influence weight bias.
Active Comparator: Weight Control (C1); This arm was randomized to a 20 min video that emphasized the controllable aspects of weight and gave dietitians an overview of a tool to help plan and monitor weight loss.	Other: Online Educational Videos; The videos were developed by the researchers based on a prior study to test if specific information about obesity and weight control influence weight bias.
Placebo Comparator: Weight Neutral Control (C2); The arm was randomized to a 20 min video about the role dietitians play in society, that made no mention of weight or obesity.	Other: Online Educational Videos; The videos were developed by the researchers based on a prior study to test if specific information about obesity and weight control influence weight bias.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in "Blame" explicit bias	"Blame" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to immediately post intervention (1 hour)
Change in "Blame" explicit bias	"Blame" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to 1 month post intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in "Social" explicit bias	"Social" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to immediately post intervention (1 hour)
Change in "Social" explicit bias	"Social" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to 1 month post intervention
Change in "Physical" explicit bias	"Physical" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to immediately post intervention (1 hour)
Change in "Physical" explicit bias	"Physical" subscore of Anti-fat Attitudes Test, higher score means more bias	Change from pre to 1 month post intervention
Change in Implicit Bias	Category of bias from Weight Implicit Association Test; Categories 1-4, higher category means more bias	Change from pre to immediately post intervention (1 hour)
Change in Implicit Bias	Category of bias from Weight Implicit Association Test; Categories 1-4, higher category means more bias	Change from pre to 1 month post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Texas Tech University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 8, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): August 8, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 22, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 25, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 26, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): January 10, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 7, 2020
• Last Verified: January 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Body Weight
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRB2019-321

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: We have a primary and secondary analysis planned for these data, once they are both published we will share the data within 6 months time via ICSPR database.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Within 6 months of publication, data will be available.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Public Access Database.
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No