The purpose of this research study is to learn how to identify the most effective ways to provide weekly feedback on participants' progress toward intervention goals during a weight loss program.
This micro-randomized factorial trial is designed to provide information about how to optimize self-monitoring feedback within a behavioral weight management intervention. All participants will attend a "Weight Loss 101" session that covers foundational weight loss education and behavioral skills training. During this session, they will also learn how to use study-provided tools to track their dietary intake, physical activity, and weight. Each weekly feedback message will be composed by a trained interventionist. Participants will be randomized each week to one of the two conditions to examine how the tone and composition of feedback messages impact participant behaviors and weight loss. The main questions that this study aims to answer are: * How does the composition of supportive feedback and ideas for potential changes in dietary or physical activity behaviors impact weight loss. * How is this feedback affected by individual or contextual factors?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
127
Feedback composed by a study interventionist that focuses exclusively on positively reinforcing the participant's progress toward achieving their goals.
Feedback provided by a study interventionist that combines positive reinforcement of the participant's progress with constructive guidance on areas for improvement to support successful goal attainment.
Weight change
Mixed-effects models will be used to investigate the impact of each feedback condition on our primary outcome of weight change. Fitted model estimates will be used to calculate the slope of weight change from day 1 (the day a feedback message is delivered) through day 7 of each week. Positive slopes indicate weight gain, while negative slopes indicate weight loss.
Time frame: 7 days
Frequency of self-monitoring weight
Frequency of self-monitoring weight will be defined as the number of days (0-7) in the week following a feedback message (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7) in which the participant records a valid (non-outlier) e-scale weight.
Time frame: 7 days
Frequency of self-monitoring dietary intake
A valid "day" of dietary self-monitoring will be defined as ≥ 800 kcal recorded, consistent with prior research. Frequency is calculated as the number of valid days (0-7) recorded the week after a feedback message is delivered (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7).
Time frame: 7 days
Total caloric intake
Total caloric intake will be calculated by summing calories consumed during the week following a feedback message is received (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7)
Time frame: 7 days
Calorie goal attainment
Calorie goal attainment for each day during the week after a feedback message is received (from day 1, the day a feedback message is received, to day 7). Calorie goal attainment will be calculated as \[TOTAL KCAL INTAKE FOR THE DAY\] - \[CALORIE GOAL\]. Daily difference scores for the 7 days will be averaged across the week to determine overall adherence to the caloric intake goal.
Time frame: 7 days
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Frequency of self-monitoring physical activity
Frequency of self-monitoring physical activity will be defined as the number of "valid" days (0-7) of Fitbit use the week after a feedback message is received (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7).
Time frame: 7 days
Physical activity minutes
Total minutes of physical activity will be calculated by summing each days' total "active zone minutes" during the week after a feedback message is delivered (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7)
Time frame: 7 days
Physical activity goal attainment
Physical activity goal attainment for each day of the week after a feedback message is received (from day 1, the day that a feedback message is received, to day 7) will be calculated as \[TOTAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MINUTES\] - \[PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GOAL\]. Daily difference scores will be averaged over the week to assess overall adherence to the physical activity goal during that study week.
Time frame: 7 days