Feasibility of Technology Mediated Lifestyle Intervention for Overweight and Obese Young Adults (Rashakaty)

Development, Implementation and Evaluation of Technology Mediated Lifestyle Intervention for Promoting Weight Loss and Improving Nutrition Behaviors Among Young Adults

Rashakaty (Fitness for Me) study aimed to design a new technologies-based intervention using a website and smart phone applications and to test the feasibility of implementing a lifestyle intervention using these technologies for overweight and obese university students. The intervention was implemented in two universities in the United Arab Emirates

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Overweight and Obesity
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: R-Basic; Behavioral: R-Enhanced

Detailed Description

Poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle are common among young adults and increase risk for chronic diseases in subsequent years of life. Rashakaty (Fitness for Me) study aimed to design a new technologies-based intervention using a website and smart phone applications and to test the feasibility of implementing a lifestyle intervention using these technologies for overweight and obese university students. The study intervention was guided by Social Cognitive Theory. The study involved the development of a website, integrating educational material and mobile applications for monitoring diet and physical activity and a16-week feasibility trial to promote weight loss, improve food choices and increase physical activity levels. The trial consisted of two arms: Rashakaty Basic (R-Basic) and Rashakaty Enhanced (R-Enhanced).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 246
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Arab Emirates
  • Select State Or Region
    • Al Ain, Select State Or Region, United Arab Emirates
      • United Arab Emirates University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Overweight or obese (BMI ≥25.0
• Adults: Female
• Age: 18-35 years
• Current user of a smart phone
• Student in one of the two target universities in the United Arab Emirates
• Living in or off the university campus

Exclusion Criteria:

• Past or planned weight loss surgery
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Lost 7 kg in the past 3 months
• Following any weight loss program for 3 months or more
• Taking any steroid or thyroid hormones treatment or any other medication that may affect body weight
• Enrolled in medical and nutrition programs since one of the program components was nutrition knowledge assessments

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Rashakaty Basic (R-Basic); Participants in the R-Basic intervention arm had access to a website that contained the study questionnaires and nutrition education materials	Behavioral: R-Basic; Participants in the R-Basic arm received access to a static website that contained educational materials on healthier eating and physical activity and the study questionnaires. The R-Basic intervention was implemented in the University of Sharjah.; Other Names: Rashakaty Basic intervention
Experimental: Rashakaty Enhanced (R-Enhanced); Participants in the R-Enhanced intervention were given access to smart phones applications for monitoring diet and physical activity levels as well as an online access to a nutritionist	Behavioral: R-Enhanced; The R-Enhanced intervention was guided by the Social Cognitive Theory and employed a variety of behavior modification strategies, including self-monitoring, goal setting, self-efficacy, and social support to facilitate changes in diet and physical activity. In addition, participants in the R-Enhanced intervention had online access to a nutritionist. The R-Enhanced intervention was implemented in the United Arab Emirates University.; Other Names: Rashakaty Enhanced intervention

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Body weight	changes in body weight	16 weeks
Body composition	Changes in body composition (percent body fat)	16 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nutrition knowledge	The General Nutrition Awareness Questionnaire (GNKQ) validated by Parmenter and Wardle in the UK. was used after local adaptation. Four main categories containing a total of 58 items were assessed:1) Awareness of dietary recommendations (11 items); 2) Knowledge of sources of nutrients (37 items); (3) Using the information to make dietary choices (5 items); and 4) Awareness of diet-disease relationships (5 items).	16 weeks
Physical activity	Changes in physical activity (number of days and duration) was used using The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) - Short Form	16 weeks
Perceived social support from family and closest friends.	Perceived social support for healthier foods and physical activity scale of Health Beliefs Questionnaire which was originally developed by Anderson, E. and colleagues was used after adaptation for university students in the UAE. The social support subscale (16 items for healthy eating and 7 items for physical activity) measures social influences on participants by their family members and closest friends. Each question is scored 1-5 (1 - Strongly disagree, 5 - Strongly agree).	16 weeks
Perceived self-efficacy for healthier eating and physical activity	Perceived self-efficacy scale of Health Beliefs Questionnaire which was originally developed by Anderson, E. and colleagues after local adaptation was used. It consists of 33 items for healthy eating and 24 items for physical activity. The healthy food efficacy measure assesses the respondent's confidence in reducing fat, reducing sugar consumption and increasing fruit and vegetable intake. The physical activity measure consists of two subscales: overcoming barriers to engaging in physical activity and integrating physical activity into the daily routine. Each question is scored 0 to 100 (certain I cannot) to 100) all or most of the time.	16 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: United Arab Emirates University
• Collaborators: University of Sharjah
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Habiba I Ali, PhD, RD, CDE, United Arab Emirates University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 21, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2017
• Study Completion (Actual): May 31, 2017

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 30, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 3, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): June 9, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 9, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 3, 2021
• Last Verified: June 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Body Weight; Overweight
• Other Study ID Numbers: 33/2014/2015

Drug and device information, study documents

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