CHAT is an internet-based weight loss research program designed for women with overweight or obesity who want to lose weight through dietary change and increased physical activity. Participants will be randomized into a group-based online program who meet via a text chat or a video chat.
The overall goal of this project is to determine whether weight losses can be improved if visual chat and electronic smart scales are added to an established 6-month online weight loss program. The primary aim is to assess weight change differences between subjects randomized to receive an Internet program alone (with text chat; INTERNET) vs. an Internet program with visual chat and electronic scales (VIDEO INTERNET). A secondary aim is to evaluate differences in social support experienced by subjects in both conditions. Overweight and obese adults (n=40) at two study sites (UVM and the University of South Carolina) will be randomly assigned to Internet (n=20) or Video Internet (n=20). All participants will receive the same 24 week web-based group weight control program which features synchronous facilitated chats and online behavioral tools. The only difference will be the delivery of the chat (text vs. visual) and the electronic smart scales given to the VIDEO INTERNET group. Assessments will be conducted at 0, 2 and 6 months and will include measures of body weight, treatment engagement (e.g., attendance, self-monitoring, website utilization), social support and treatment satisfaction.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
32
Participants will attend weekly one hour classes on line. They will type their input and responses within the chat room. They will record their calorie and fat intake daily and weigh themselves daily. Interventionists will review the diaries weekly and provide feedback to reinforce or shape new behaviors and to identify high risk situations for problem solving.
Participants will attend weekly one hour classes on line. They will have audio and video within the chat room, and will talk with their facilitator and classmates during their weekly meeting. They will record their calorie and fat intake daily and weigh themselves daily. Interventionists will review the diaries weekly and provide
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Behavioral Weight Management Program/Univ of Vermont
Burlington, Vermont, United States
Weight loss from baseline
The investigators will assess weight change differences between subjects randomized to receive an internet program alone with text chat vs. an internet program with visual chat and bodytrace smart scales. Weight will be assessed at baseline, 2 months after intervention begins, and at the end of intervention using a calibrated digital scale (Tanita, WB800S) with subjects in street clothes, without shoes.
Time frame: baseline, 2 months, 6 months
Attendance at chat
The group facilitator will record attendance at chats. Attendance at chat will be compared by treatment arm. Rate of attendance is calculated as number of meetings attended out of a total possible 24 meetings over the course of the study.
Time frame: 6 months
Self monitoring dietary intake
Number of weekly journals submitted out of a possible 24 weeks total will give the investigators the rate of self monitoring. Rates of self monitoring will be compared by treatment arm.
Time frame: 6 months
Self monitoring weight
Number of daily weights submitted over the course of 24 weeks divided by the possible total of weights will give the rate of weight self-monitoring (7/week x 24 weeks = 168 possible weights). The VIDEO arm will be provided with BodyTrace electronic scales that report weight to a secure database via cellular connectivity. Subjects in the TEXT arm will report their weights to their facilitator using their own digital scale at home.
Time frame: 6 months
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