MyFitnessPal Pilot Study

Geisinger Clinic

Overview

This project is studying whether patients who use MyFitnessPal as an aid to weight loss have more success than patients who are only given traditional medical guidance from the patient's physician.

Patients will be given a survey determining the patient's eligibility to be part of the study. Based on the results patients will be consented and then randomized into two arms. The intervention group will download MyFitnessPal onto the patient's smartphone and given guidance on how to use the application in order to help with weight loss. The control group will receive traditional weight loss counseling from the physician. Both groups will have measurement recorded for weight, blood pressure, and waist circumference at the patient's initial visit. All patients will be asked to return to the clinic at no cost to the patient to have measurements recorded for the patient's weight, blood pressure, and waist circumference at 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the patient's initial visit. At the conclusion of the study, patients who were in the intervention group will be asked to take a final survey regarding the patient's use of the MyFitnessPal application.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Conditions

Weight Reduction

Interventions

MyFitnessPal userBEHAVIORAL

Patients will be counseled on how to use the MyFitnessPal application to help with the patient's weight loss goals. The physician will monitor the patient's weight, blood pressure, and waist circumference over up to a six month period with visits at 1, 3, and 6 months. Patients will be asked about the patient's use of the application at the end of the study.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 89 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * BMI\>/= 25 * Have a smart phone * Patient is willing to lose weight Exclusion Criteria: * Do not have a smart phone * pregnant (current, planned, or previous pregnancy within 6 months) * have already seen a nutritionist * on weight loss medication * using outside weight loss programs * lack interest in weight loss * hemodialysis patient * has a life expectancy less than 6 months

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Rate of Weight Loss

Weight will be measured in pounds and recorded at each visit

Time frame: 1-6 months

Secondary Outcomes

Change in Waist Circumference

Waist Circumference will be measured in centimeters and recorded at each visit

Time frame: 1-6 months

Change in Blood Pressure

Blood pressure will be measured and recorded at each visit

Time frame: 1-6 months

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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