Preliminary findings of how visual demonstrations of changes to physical appearance may enhance weight loss attempts

Jiwa, Moyez; Burford, Oksana; Parsons, Richard

doi:10.1093/eurpub/cku249

Cited by 21 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The app portrays the effect of lifestyle on future personal appearance using input calorie and exercise information to predict future Body Mass Index (BMI) [9]. The minimum viable product (MVP) features are shown in Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A sample size of 150 was determined to have the power to detect a 1-kg weight difference between groups, which was the mean weight difference seen at 8 weeks in the pilot study [9]. A total of 145 participants, slightly fewer than the target number, were recruited over 8 months from November 2013 to August 2014, when the recruitment phase period concluded.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Written advice that is tailored and personalised for the individual has been shown to be more effective than traditional collective advice for diet and exercise behaviour change [7, 8]. Empirical evidence from a pilot study published in 2015 suggests that self-representations in the form of computerised future self-images could enhance weight loss in women who are trying to lose weight [9]. This is consistent with the theory that a fundamental human need is to forge or maintain bonds; therefore, the prospect of a more appealing physical appearance may be a powerful motivator for behaviour change [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study

Ossolinski

Jiwa

McManus

et al. 2017

Trials

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BackgroundThis randomised controlled study evaluated a computer-generated future self-image as a personalised, visual motivational tool for weight loss in adults.MethodsOne hundred and forty-five people (age 18–79 years) with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 25 kg/m2 were randomised to receive a hard copy future self-image at recruitment (early image) or after 8 weeks (delayed image). Participants received general healthy lifestyle information at recruitment and were weighed at 4-weekly intervals for 24 weeks. The image was created using an iPad app called ‘Future Me’. A second randomisation at 16 weeks allocated either an additional future self-image or no additional image.ResultsSeventy-four participants were allocated to receive their image at commencement, and 71 to the delayed-image group. Regarding to weight loss, the delayed-image group did consistently better in all analyses. Twenty-four recruits were deemed non-starters, comprising 15 (21%) in the delayed-image group and 9 (12%) in the early-image group (χ2(1) = 2.1, p = 0.15). At 24 weeks there was a significant change in weight overall (p < 0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image group: −0.60 kg, early-image group: −0.42 kg, p = 0.01). Men lost weight faster than women. The group into which participants were allocated at week 16 (second image or not) appeared not to influence the outcome (p = 0.31). Analysis of all completers and withdrawals showed a strong trend over time (p < 0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image: −0.50 kg, early-image: −0.27 kg, p = 0.0008).ConclusionOne in five participants in the delayed-image group completing the 24-week intervention achieved a clinically significant weight loss, having received only future self-images and general lifestyle advice. Timing the provision of future self-images appears to be significant, and promising for future research to clarify their efficacy.Trial RegistrationAustralian Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: ACTRN12613000883718. Registered on 8 August 2013.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1907-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study

Ossolinski

Jiwa

McManus

et al. 2017

Trials

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Furthermore, enhancing one's attractiveness is a primary motivation for tanning in adolescents both in Brazil and worldwide [43,48,49]. In addition, the success of appearance-based photoaging intervention mobile apps, in which an image is altered to predict future appearance in the fields of tobacco and adiposity prevention, shows promise for these interventions in behavioral change settings [50][51][52][53][54][55].…”

Section: Current Knowledge On School-based Skin Cancer Preventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Skin Cancer Prevention Facial-Aging Mobile App for Secondary Schools in Brazil: Appearance-Focused Interventional Study (Preprint)

Brinker¹,

Heckl²,

Gatzka³

et al. 2018

Preprint

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“…Programs designed to demonstrate face-aging and face-morphing have proven to be effective in settings where behavioral change is the goal, including for skin cancer [30,31,32], obesity [33], and tobacco use [34]. Desktop face-aging programs, in which an image is altered to predict future appearance, have been shown to be effective in convincing females aged 14–18 years to quit smoking, and even increased abstinence at 6 months among adults aged 18–30 years of both genders (abstinence levels of 27.5% in the intervention group and 6.3% in the control group) [35,36].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Face-Aging Smoking Prevention/Cessation Intervention for Nursery School Students in Germany: An Appearance-Focused Interventional Study

Brinker

Alfitian

Seeger

et al. 2018

IJERPH

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The Education Against Tobacco (EAT) network delivers smoking prevention advice in secondary schools, typically using the mirroring approach (i.e., a “selfie” altered with a face-aging app and shared with a class). In November 2017, however, the German assembly of EAT opted to expand its remit to include nursing students. To assess the transferability of the existing approach, we implemented it with the self-developed face-aging app “Smokerface” (=mixed − methods approach) in six nursing schools. Anonymous questionnaires were used to assess the perceptions of 197 students (age 18–40 years; 83.8% female; 26.4% smokers; 23.3% daily smokers) collecting qualitative and quantitative data for our cross-sectional study. Most students perceived the intervention to be fun (73.3%), but a minority disagreed that their own animated selfie (25.9%) or the reaction of their peers (29.5%) had motivated them to stop smoking. The impact on motivation not to smoke was considerably lower than experienced with seventh graders (63.2% vs. 42.0%; notably, more smokers also disagreed (45.1%) than agreed (23.5%) with this statement. Agreement rates on the motivation not to smoke item were higher in females than in males and in year 2–3 than in year 1 students. Potential improvements included greater focus on pathology (29%) and discussing external factors (26%). Overall, the intervention seemed to be appealing for nursing students.

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Preliminary findings of how visual demonstrations of changes to physical appearance may enhance weight loss attempts

Cited by 21 publications

References 6 publications

Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study

Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study

A Skin Cancer Prevention Facial-Aging Mobile App for Secondary Schools in Brazil: Appearance-Focused Interventional Study (Preprint)

A Face-Aging Smoking Prevention/Cessation Intervention for Nursery School Students in Germany: An Appearance-Focused Interventional Study

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