Telehealth-Based Health Coaching Produces Significant Weight Loss over 12 Months in a Usual Care Setting

Abstract

Background: Telehealth-based health coaching in a usual care setting has yet to be examined. The purpose of this study was to incorporate the inHealth Lifestyle Therapeutics, Inc.’s Telehealth Enabled Approach to Multidisciplinary Care (TEAM) method within a real-world routine clinical care setting to reduce body weight in obese participants. Materials and Methods: n = 70 participants were recruited for this intervention (Age: 58.1 ± 14.6yrs, BMI: 35.5 ± 7.8 kg/m2, 32 males and 38 females). All participants self-selected participation in either the virtual health coaching (VHC) group or usual care (UC) group. VHC participants met with a medical doctor monthly and a certified health coach weekly for the first 12 weeks of the study, bi-weekly for the following 12 weeks, and monthly for the remaining 6 months. Data were analyzed using a two-sample student’s t-test to assess any changes from baseline for both VHC and UC groups. Results: A significant difference for weight-loss between VHC and UC groups (8.24 ± 9.8 vs. 0.16 ± 10.6 kg, respectively, p < 0.05) was observed. In addition, there was a significant change in the mean percentage of body weight loss (6.5 ± 0.1% vs. 0.53 ± 1.45%, respectively, p < 0.05) between groups. Conclusions: Incorporating innovative deliveries that are scalable, such as telehealth-based interventions, may help stem the tide of patient obesity related care. Furthermore, using a TEAM method in a usual care setting may be effective for inducing sustained weight loss at 12 months.

Evaluating the Impact of a Virtual Health Coaching Lifestyle Program on Weight Loss after Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Prospective Study

“…The InHealth Lifestyle Therapeutics™ (IHLT) [27] program was broken down into three phases: (1) weekly videoconference-based visits with a nationally certified health coach for the first 12 weeks, (2) bi-weekly visits with the health coach for the next 12 weeks, and (3) monthly visits for the next six months. Health coaching was based on weekly progress made by patients toward goals.…”

Impact of a Health Coach–Led, Text-Based Digital Behavior Change Intervention on Weight Loss and Psychological Well-Being in Patients Receiving a Procedureless Intragastric Balloon Program: Prospective Single-Arm Study

“…These include anytime access, anonymity, fewer interpersonal barriers relating to social anxiety or weight-related stigma, affordability, and a reduction in healthcare costs by virtue of the potential for widespread scalability [13][14][15]. A growing number of studies demonstrate the effectiveness of digital health coaching or digital behavior change intervention, compared to in-person support, in improving weight loss, behavior change, or psychological well-being outcomes in patients with overweight or obesity [16][17][18][19]. However, to the authors' knowledge, no studies on digital behavior change interventions have assessed all three outcomes at the same time in this population.…”