The Impact of Integrating an Internet Weight Control Program Into Primary Care

Summary

The investigators will conduct a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of three interventions on weight loss at 12 months. The investigators propose to test the impact of integrating an effective automated Internet weight control program into primary care by recruiting patients and randomizing them to one of three conditions: A) Brief physician counseling plus usual care, B) Brief physician counseling plus referral and access to the Internet weight control program and, C) Brief physician counseling plus referral and access to the Internet weight control program plus brief follow-up email notes of support and accountability from Primary Care Physicians. The investigators hypothesize that an online program for weight control can be more effective by enhancing online follow-up with PCPs.

Conditions

• Overweight
• Obese

Interventions

OTHER

Usual Care

Standard care

BEHAVIORAL

Brief Physician Counseling

Primary Care Physician (PCP) will review a goal setting worksheet for weight loss with the participant and then collaboratively set a goal for weight loss.

BEHAVIORAL

Referral and access to an internet weight control program

Participants will receive a login and password for the weight loss website. The website will encourage patients to set a new weight goal every 3 months and work towards a total weight loss goal of 10%. Patients will also receive an email prompt each week alerting them to new content and reminding them to check-in to the website to report their weight, intake and activity.

BEHAVIORAL

Brief follow up email notes from PCPs

Patients will receive a biweekly email from their primary care physician on how they are doing with their weight loss.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

  collaborator NIH

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  collaborator OTHER

• The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

  collaborator OTHER

• Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Christopher Sciamanna, MD, MPH · Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-10-31

Primary Completion

2016-11-30

Completion

2016-11-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations