Elsevier

Behaviour Research and Therapy

Volume 46, Issue 9, September 2008, Pages 1090-1095
Behaviour Research and Therapy

Shorter communication
A randomized comparison of two motivationally enhanced Internet behavioral weight loss programs

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2008.06.008Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

Sixty-six women participated in this study, which compared two 16-week motivationally enhanced weight loss interventions. Both intervention groups, which are entitled “Minimal” and “Enhanced” throughout the description that follows, received a motivationally enhanced initial face-to-face weight loss session. The initial session was followed by a 16-week Internet behavioral weight loss program, which included a study website with weekly lessons, an online self-monitoring diary form, web links to related sites, and separate message boards. The Enhanced group also received weekly moderated online chat group sessions led using motivational techniques.

Results

Both groups lost weight over time (p < 0.001), however the group by time interaction was non-significant (p = 0.19). The Minimal group lost 5.22 ± 4.72 kg and the Enhanced group lost 3.71 ± 4.46 kg. In the Enhanced group, online chat session attendance averaged 8.0 of the 16 chats offered. Greater program utilization was associated with greater weight loss in both groups.

Conclusions

The addition of weekly motivationally enhanced online chats did not increase weight loss in this study. Further research is needed on the type and frequency of group support that is most desirable and beneficial in Internet weight loss interventions and could also explore building motivation for program utilization.

Section snippets

Objectives

The Internet has shown great potential for public health use in many areas of health behavior including weight loss (Gold et al., 2007, Rothert et al., 2006, Tate et al., 2003, Tate et al., 2006, Tate et al., 2001) and weight maintenance (Harvey-Berino et al., 2004, Wing et al., 2006). A recent review of randomized Internet weight loss interventions concluded that structured behaviorally based programs with some form of counselor feedback were efficacious in producing significant weight loss (

Participant's eligibility and recruitment

All procedures were approved by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institutional Review Board. Adult women ages 22–65 who had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 40 and had home access to a computer with Internet service were recruited. Exclusion criteria included a medical diagnosis of orthopedic or joint problems that might prohibit regular exercise, hospitalization for a psychiatric disorder within the last year, history of anorexia or bulimia nervosa, intention to move out

Baseline characteristics

All participants were female and 86% were Caucasian. Thirty-five percent of participants had a graduate degree or equivalent. The average age of participants was 50 ± 9.9 years and baseline BMI averaged 31.1 ± 3.7. The two study groups did not differ at baseline on weight, BMI, amount of previous Internet experience, caloric intake or expenditure, or on any demographic or psychosocial measure (Table 1). All participants (100%) came into the clinic for final weight measurement and 98% (65/66)

Discussion

We found that both intervention groups lost weight over time and there was no significant difference between groups. The average weight loss was 4.5 ± 4.6 kg. Previous short-term behavioral programs with similar populations have produced similar weight losses. Face-to-face 16-week behavioral weight loss programs have produced weight losses ranging from 2.9 to 5.5 kg (Palmeira et al., 2007, Smith et al., 1997, Teixeira et al., 2004, Teixeira et al., 2006, Womble et al., 2004), while one 16-week

References (42)

  • Dietary Guidelines for Americans
  • DPP Research Group

    The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP): a description of lifestyle intervention

    Diabetes Care

    (2002)
  • R. Feld et al.

    Pretreatment motivational enhancement therapy for eating disorders: a pilot study

    International Journal of Eating Disorders

    (2002)
  • B.C. Gold et al.

    Weight loss on the web: a pilot study comparing a structured behavioral intervention to a commercial program

    Obesity

    (2007)
  • J.H. Goldberg et al.

    Innovative techniques to address retention in a behavioral weight-loss trial

    Health Education Research

    (2005)
  • J. Harvey-Berino et al.

    Does using the Internet facilitate the maintenance of weight loss?

    International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders

    (2002)
  • J. Harvey-Berino et al.

    Effect of Internet support on the long-term maintenance of weight loss

    Obesity Research

    (2004)
  • J. Harvey-Berino et al.

    The feasibility of using Internet support for the maintenance of weight loss

    Behavior Modification

    (2002)
  • Institute of Medicine (IOM)

    Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids

  • C.E. Lewis et al.

    Weight gain continues in the 1990's: 10-year trends in weight and overweight from the CARDIA study. Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults

    American Journal of Epidemiology

    (2000)
  • B. Marcus et al.

    Self-efficacy and the stages of exercise behavior change

    Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

    (1992)

    • Cited by (0)

    View full text
    Copyright © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.