Clinical trial NCT03491293: Piloting Visual Chat in Internet Obesity Treatment
Official title: Piloting Visual Chat in Internet Obesity Treatment
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Obesity
Keywords: internet
behavioral weight loss
obesity
Lead sponsor: University of Vermont
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: University of South Carolina
name: University of Tennessee
First posted: 2018-04-09
Enrollment: 32
Sex: FEMALE
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: CHAT is an internet-based weight loss research program designed for women with overweight or obesity who want to lose weight through dietary change and increased physical activity. Participants will be randomized into a group-based online program who meet via a text chat or a video chat.

Detailed description: The overall goal of this project is to determine whether weight losses can be improved if visual chat and electronic smart scales are added to an established 6-month online weight loss program. The primary aim is to assess weight change differences between subjects randomized to receive an Internet program alone (with text chat; INTERNET) vs. an Internet program with visual chat and electronic scales (VIDEO INTERNET). A secondary aim is to evaluate differences in social support experienced by subjects in both conditions. Overweight and obese adults (n=40) at two study sites (UVM and the University of South Carolina) will be randomly assigned to Internet (n=20) or Video Internet (n=20). All participants will receive the same 24 week web-based group weight control program which features synchronous facilitated chats and online behavioral tools. The only difference will be the delivery of the chat (text vs. visual) and the electronic smart scales given to the VIDEO INTERNET group. Assessments will be conducted at 0, 2 and 6 months and will include measures of body weight, treatment engagement (e.g., attendance, self-monitoring, website utilization), social support and treatment satisfaction.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years old
* BMI between 25 and 55
* Free of medical problems that would preclude participation in a behavioral weight reduction program containing an exercise component
* Not currently pregnant or pregnant in the previous 6 months or breastfeeding
* Must have a computer at home or work with access to the Internet
* Only one member of a household is eligible to participate
* Must successfully complete a self-monitoring diary of foods consumed for 3 days
* must be willing to share access to self monitoring information collected via My Fitness Pal by friending the CHAT research team
* Not currently on medication that might affect weight loss
* Not enrolled in another weight loss program

Exclusion Criteria:

* BMI less than 25 or more than 55
* Lost 10 pounds or more in the last 6 months
* Had a heart attack or stroke in the past 6 months
* Ever had weight loss surgery
* Currently taking medications for weight loss
* Persons required by their doctor to follow a special diet (other than low fat)
* Plans to move from the area in the upcoming 9 months
* Schedules that make it likely someone would have difficulty attending the scheduled chat groups

Primary outcomes:
measure: Weight loss from baseline
timeFrame: baseline, 2 months, 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Attendance at chat
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Self monitoring dietary intake
timeFrame: 6 months
measure: Self monitoring weight
timeFrame: 6 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Columbia
country: United States
facility: University of South Carolina
state: South Carolina
city: Burlington
country: United States
facility: Behavioral Weight Management Program/Univ of Vermont
state: Vermont
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Vermont
name: Jean Harvey, PhD RDN
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: University of South Carolina
name: Delia West, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: