Overweight and obesity are increasing and more than 50% of all people over 18 years in Sweden are overweight or obese. Main causes are changes in lifestyle habits regarding diet and physical activity. Obesity increases the risk of various diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthrosis and cancer; it also affects the quality of life. Losing 5-10% of body weight can improve metabolic health and quality of life. However, weight loss is difficult to achieve and especially to maintain over a longer period of time. Treatment based on cognitive behavioral therapy improves long-term outcomes. A behavioral treatment program via the Internet has been developed that contains 12 treatment modules that the patient follows for 6 months. The patient has regular contact with a therapist who follows the patient's treatment process and provides support. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the Internet-based treatment regarding weight reduction, change in eating habits, physical activity and quality of life. We also intend to investigate how feasible and user-friendly the treatment program is and the patients' experiences of the treatment effects.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
22
The behavioral treatment is provided via the Internet and comprises 12 modules that the patient follows for 6 months. The treatment modules include self-monitoring, goal setting, relapse prevention, psycho-education about nutrition, eating behavior, physical activity, sleep and stress management. Each module ends with one or more exercises to be completed before the next module is activated.
Obesity Unit, Örebro University Hospital, Region Örebro County
Örebro, Sweden
Body weight
Weight reduction in kg
Time frame: Change from baseline to follow-up at 6 months and 12 months
Dietary habits
Change in dietary habits measured by a questionnaire from the National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden. The questionnaire includes five questions about how often the person eats vegetables, fruits, fish, sweets and breakfast.
Time frame: Change from baseline to follow-up at 6 months and 12 months
Physical activity
Change in physical activity measured with a questionnaire from The National Board of Health and Welfare, Sweden. The questionnaire contains two questions about exercise and everyday activities that measure how much time per week the person performs: 1) strenuous activities, e.g. running, playing ball, and 2) moderately strenuous activities, e.g. walking, cycling.
Time frame: Change from baseline to follow-up at 6 months and 12 months
Psychosocial functioning
Change in weight-related psychosocial functioning measured by the Obesity-related Problems scale, version 3 (OPv3). OPv3 comprises 26 items on a four-point response scale. The participants indicate how bothered they are by their obesity in a broad range of social activities and to what extent they avoid social activities because of their obesity. The responses are aggregated into two domains: Distress (13 items) and Avoidance (13 items). Scale scores range from 0 (no distress/avoidance) to 100 (maximum distress/avoidance).
Time frame: Change from baseline to follow-up at 6 months and 12 months
Experiences of the treatment program
The patient's experiences of the treatment program are measured with five study-specific questions about how easy or difficult it was 1) to follow the treatment program, 2) to understand the language and content, 3) to use the program 4) to understand the home tasks and if they were relevant, and 5) how useful feedback from the therapist was .
Time frame: From treatment start to follow-up after treatment ends at 6 months
Experiences of the treatment effects
The patient's experiences of the treatment effects are measured with study-specific questions (18 and 15 questions at 6 and 12 months follow-up respectively). The questions concern the following aspects: 1) if the treatment has been helpful in making lifestyle changes, 2) if the participant is satisfied or dissatisfied with the weight change, 3) if the participant considers that the treatment has had an effect on health and well-being.
Time frame: From baseline to follow-up at 6 months and 12 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.