Using a technology-based intervention to promote weight loss in sedentary overweight or obese adults: a randomized controlled trial study design

Abstract

Purpose:The SenseWear™ Armband is an activity monitor developed to improve lifestyle self-monitoring. Currently, few studies assess electronic self-monitoring and weight loss with a lifestyle intervention program. To our knowledge, only one study has used the SenseWear Armband in combination with a lifestyle intervention to improve weight loss, and no studies have evaluated whether a self-monitoring intervention based solely on the armband can promote weight loss. Consequently, the aims of the study were to assess weight loss from electronic self-monitoring, to compare these values to the lifestyle intervention and standard care groups, and to compare weight loss with lifestyle intervention with and without the armband.Patients and methods:We recruited 197 sedentary overweight or obese adults (age, 46.8 ± 10.8 years; BMI, 33.3 ± 5.2 kg/m2) to participate in the 9-month study. Participants were randomized into one of four weight loss groups: 1) the standard care group received a self-directed weight loss program, complete with an evidence-based weight loss manual (standard care, n = 50); 2) a 14-week group-based behavioral weight loss program followed by weekly, biweekly, and monthly telephone counseling calls (GWL, n = 49); 3) the use of the armband to help improve lifestyle self-monitoring (SWA alone, n = 49); or (4) the group-based behavioral weight loss program and follow-up telephone counseling calls plus the armband (GWL + SWA, n = 49). All participants received the evidence-based weight loss manual at baseline. All measures were performed at baseline and months 4 and 9. The primary outcomes were weight loss and waist circumference reduction.Results:This study is a well-designed randomized controlled study powered to detect a 0.5-kg weight loss and 0.6-cm waist circumference reduction in overweight and obese sedentary adults.Conclusion:Innovative technologies are providing lifestyle self-monitoring and weight loss tools. Utilizing these technologies may be an important step in improving the current obesity epidemic.

Comparison of Veteran experiences of low-cost, home-based diet and exercise interventions

“…As was demonstrated in the BodyMedia FIT, some of the information the device provided was liked by the participants, but it did not provide courses of action for an individual to take to make healthy changes. It is possible that with a certain amount of coaching or counseling, this tool may have been more effective, which would be consistent with past literature [28][29][30]. In the future, these types of applications may be able to make real-time suggestions to individuals, which might further the strength of logging food and fitness activities.…”

Cardiometabolic results from an armband-based weight loss trial

“…A complete description of the LEAN study design and methods appears elsewhere 21. In brief, the study was a RCT with a standard care control condition and 3 treatment conditions.…”

“…The Lifestyle Education for Activity and Nutrition (LEAN) study was a 9 month RCT to determine the effectiveness of using the SenseWear ™ Armband (BodyMedia, Inc Pittsburgh, PA) for weight loss among 164 sedentary and overweight or obese individuals. While weight loss was the primary outcome of LEAN, BP, blood lipids, and fasting glucose were a priori secondary outcomes 21. The LEAN study provided an opportunity to examine the effects of various weight loss approaches on these selected cardiometabolic factors.…”

Introduction

“…Such sensors have been shown to improve quality of life as much as costly supervised exercise programmes [35]. Similar sensors have also been used for weight management purposes, with several large-scale randomised clinical trials underway to determine their value [36,37]. Devices and applications which exploit aspects of human psychology, including incentives to reach goals, or allowing comparisons of activity levels to that of their peer group (norming) are likely to affect the activity-behaviour [38].…”