About this trial
This clinical trial is focused on testing dietary self-monitoring strategies used in behavioral obesity treatment. The goal is to determine which self-monitoring strategies are most useful for whom, at which points in treatment, and under what circumstances.
Researchers will provide a 24-week online behavioral obesity treatment program, and will randomize participants to use one of 5 dietary self-monitoring strategies every two weeks. The five strategies include: recording all food and drink consumed and corresponding energy intake (i.e., "calories") on 7 days per week; recording all food and drink consumed and corresponding energy intake (i.e., "calories") on 3 days per week; self-monitoring of dietary lapses (i.e. any eating/drinking likely to cause weight gain or put weight loss at risk); smartwatch-based monitoring of energy intake (i.e., "calories"); and self-monitoring of body weight only via smart scale.
Participants will:
* Follow a 24-week online program for weight loss and health improvement * Use the assigned self-monitoring strategy every two weeks * Meet with the researchers periodically via online video call and provide research data by answering questions via periodic online surveys.
Eligibility criteria
Qualifiers
English language fluent and literate at the 6th grade level
Body mass index (BMI) above 25 kg/m-squared
Able to walk 2 city blocks without stopping
Not currently participating in another weight loss program
Disqualifiers
None
Trial design
Treatments tested in this trial
- Online Behavioral Obesity Treatment
- Full Dietary Self-monitoring
- Reduced-frequency Dietary Self-monitoring
- Self-Monitoring of Dietary Lapses Only
- Smartwatch-based Self-monitoring of Energy Intake
- Self-monitoring of Body Weight Only
Treatment groups
Sponsors and collaborators
The Miriam Hospital
Lead sponsor
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Collaborator