Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (ADOPT) Core Measures: Environmental Domain

Abstract

Starting with the home address, the environmental domain subgroup recommended for inclusion in future weight-loss or maintenance studies constructs and measures related to walkability, perceived land use mix, food outlet accessibility (perceived and objective), perceived food availability, socioeconomics, and crime-related safety (perceived and objective) to characterize the home neighborhood environment. The subgroup also recommended constructs and measures related to social norms (perceived and objective) and perceived support to characterize an individual's social environment. The 12 neighborhood and social environment constructs and corresponding measures provide a succinct and comprehensive set to allow for more systematic examination of the impact of environment on adults' weight loss and maintenance.

The Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (ADOPT) Core Measures Project: Rationale and Approach

“…Each domain subgroup considered the following criteria to guide their selection of high‐priority constructs and measures: (1) the strength and source of the current evidence related to weight‐loss outcomes or weight‐related behaviors (e.g., randomized clinical trial versus observational data), (2) the quality of the measure (e.g., validity and reliability), (3) the feasibility of using the measure within a clinical trial (e.g., cost, researcher expertise requirements, logistics), and (4) the participant burden posed by the measure (e.g., administration time, invasiveness). Although the entire working group was presented with this list of criteria for consideration, the four domain subgroups were given a considerable amount of flexibility in how they weighed each criterion and the process by which their domain curated the recommended set of core measures .…”

“…The ADOPT Core Measures that were selected from the behavioral , biological , environmental , and psychosocial domains are organized by domain in Table . More details about the selection of each domain's constructs and measures are found in the domain‐specific papers that accompany this overview.…”

“…We identify a set of factors in each domain that could contribute to the differential response to treatments and present a core list of measures of these factors to use in adult weight‐loss studies. Accompanying this overview are four companion papers that discuss the identification and selection of these “core” measures for each domain . These companion papers also describe critical gaps in knowledge regarding constructs and measures and limitations of available assessment tools.…”

Biobehavioural approaches to prevention and treatment: A call for implementation science in obesity research

“…In an implementation science framework, using the simplest and most practical measures customized to individual study and patient needs is a key. One promising development in obesity research is standardizing measurement across studies and developing core measures through a project known as Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict Obesity Treatment (ADOPT), which published six papers in Obesity in Spring, 2018 . By focusing on standardized activities and measures to prevent weight gain, patients with obesity may manage potential health harms individually, with a better understanding of maintaining lifestyle modifications long term.…”

ADOPT: Obesity Treatment Reaches Level of Maturity with Its Own Collaborative Initiative and Resource

“…Each domain's subgroup reviewed variables measured in adult weight loss trials and identified the current gold standard assessment method used to measure those variables. The four companion papers further discuss the identification and selection process of the variables, or “core” constructs, measures, the associated critical knowledge gaps, and limitations of available assessment tools within each domain.…”