A Social-networking-site(SNS) Based Weight Loss Behavior Intervention- the Effect of Social Network and Multi-level Factors on Weight Loss

Summary

In this project, investigators plan to conduct a randomized control trial of a weight loss intervention that is remotely delivered via SNS among the obese adult patients (20-64 years old, BMI ≥ 27 kg/m2) recruited from weight control clinic in a tertiary medical center in Taipei. Investigators will survey the participants' baseline characteristics at different dimensions including personal, behavioral, physiological, socio-environmental factors. Participants will be randomly assigned to a 16-week weight loss program of either enhanced intervention via Facebook group or standard intervention. After the intervention, the participants will be followed until 2 years after enrollment. Investigators will measure participants' change in weight as well as change in attitude, behavior, and physiological along the follow-up periods. Investigators proposed specific study aims as following: (1) Demonstrate the characteristics of the obese patient who visiting weight-control clinics at behavioral level, physiological level, and social level. (2) Implement an enhanced weight loss intervention by using SNS with personalized feedback (3) Investigate the social influence and the interaction between participants in the social networking site (4) Test the hypothesis that, compared with a standard behavioral weight loss intervention, the enhanced intervention would result in greater weight loss and physical benefit (5) Test the hypothesis that, the enhanced intervention would result in improvement on heath attitude, literacy, or behavior and minimize the attrition of weight loss program (6) Explore the trajectory of individual characteristics throughout the treatment course (7) Explore the predictor or correlate of successful weight loss, maintenance and attrition (8) Investigate the interrelationship between different behavioral, physiological, and environmental factors and their composite effect on weight loss (9) Refine the intervention and develop a further effective and individualized behavior intervention for weight loss

Conditions

• Weight Loss

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Enhanced intervention via social networking site (SNS)

We plan to organize a private Facebook group serve as platform to provide the intervention content. To ensure confidentiality, this Facebook group is completely private and the group member is invited only by study staff. The participants of intervention group received information about the private Facebook group and privacy settings and were instructed to join the Facebook group. The intervention comprises three parts. Doctor patient interaction: The interventionist (physicians and dietitians) act as health coach will provide evidence-based topics related to weight loss on Facebook discussion board every two weeks

BEHAVIORAL

Standard intervention

In the session, the participants are instructed by an interventionist to have a reduced calorie diet and regular physical activity. Calorie intake was prescribed based on baseline weight at 1200 kcal/d for individuals who weighed less than 90 kg, 1500 kcal/d for those who weighed 90 to less than 115 kg, and 1800 kcal/d for those who weighed 115kg or more. The interventionist will give each participants dietary recommendation and sample meal plans are provided to facilitate adoption. The interventionist will prescribe non-supervised moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to participants. Participants should start moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at 100 minutes per week and increased at 4-week intervals until a prescription of 300 minutes per week was achieved

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Taiwan University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

20 Years

Max Age

64 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-08-01

Primary Completion

2020-07-31

Completion

2020-07-31

Countries

• Taiwan

Study Locations