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Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss: results from an internet-based randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE:Financial incentives can improve initial weight loss; we examined whether financial incentives can improve weight loss maintenance. SUBJECTS/METHODS:Participants aged 30-80 years who lost at least 5?kg during the first 4-6 months in a nationally available commercial weight loss program were recruited via the internet into a three-arm randomized trial of two types of financial incentives versus active control during months 1-6 (Phase I) followed by passive monitoring during months 7-12 (Phase II). Interventions were daily self-weighing and text messaging feedback alone (control) or combined with a lottery-based incentive or a direct incentive. The primary outcome was weight change 6 months after initial weight loss. Secondary outcomes included weight change 12 months after initial weight loss (6 months after cessation of maintenance intervention), and self-reported physical activity and eating behaviors. RESULTS:Of 191 participants randomized, the mean age was 49.0 (SD?=?10.5) years and weight loss prior to randomization was 11.4 (4.7)?kg; 92% were women and 89% were White. Mean weight changes during the next 6 months (Phase I) were: lottery -3.0 (5.8)?kg; direct -2.8 (5.8)?kg; and control -1.4 (5.8)?kg (all pairwise comparisons p?>?0.1). Weight changes through the end of 12 months post-weight loss (Phase II) were: lottery -1.8 (10.5)?kg; direct -0.7 (10.7)?kg; and control -0.3 (9.4)?kg (all pairwise comparisons p?>?0.1). The percentages of participants who maintained their weight loss (defined as gaining ?1.36?kg) were: lottery 79%, direct 76%, and control 67% at 6 months and lottery 66%, direct 62%, and control 59% at 12 months (all pairwise comparisons p?>?0.1). At 6 and 12 months after initial weight loss, changes in self-reported physical activity or eating behaviors did not differ across arms. CONCLUSIONS:Compared with the active control of daily texting based on daily home weighing, lottery-based and direct monetary incentives provided no additional benefit for weight loss maintenance.

SUBMITTER: Yancy WS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5968035 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss: results from an internet-based randomized controlled trial.

Yancy William S WS Shaw Pamela A PA Wesby Lisa L Hilbert Victoria V Yang Lin L Zhu Jingsan J Troxel Andrea A Huffman David D Foster Gary D GD Wojtanowski Alexis C AC Volpp Kevin G KG

Nutrition & diabetes 20180525 1

<h4>Background/objective</h4>Financial incentives can improve initial weight loss; we examined whether financial incentives can improve weight loss maintenance.<h4>Subjects/methods</h4>Participants aged 30-80 years who lost at least 5 kg during the first 4-6 months in a nationally available commercial weight loss program were recruited via the internet into a three-arm randomized trial of two types of financial incentives versus active control during months 1-6 (Phase I) followed by passive moni ...[more]

PMID: 29795365

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Project description:Importance:Identifying effective strategies for treating obesity is a public health priority. Objective:To test an escalating lottery-based incentive tied to daily self-weighing for weight loss maintenance. Design, Setting, and Participants:This 2-phase, 2-arm randomized clinical trial enrolled participants aged 30 to 80 years with an initial body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 30.0 to 45.0 who lost at least 5 kg during 4 to 6 months in a national online weight management program. Study investigators and outcomes assessors were blinded to participant groups. Data were collected and analyzed from May 23, 2016, through November 13, 2017, based on intention to treat. Interventions:All participants were advised to weigh themselves daily, with a goal of 6 or more days per week, and received text messaging feedback on their performance. Incentive group participants were eligible for a lottery-based incentive worth an expected value of $3.98 in week 1 that escalated by $0.43 each week they achieved their self-weighing goal during months 1 to 6 (phase 1), followed by no incentives during months 7 to 12 (phase 2). Main Outcomes and Measures:The primary outcome was weight change at the end of phase 1. Secondary outcomes included weight change at the end of phase 2 and changes in self-reported physical activity and eating behaviors. Results:A total of 258 participants (128 in the incentive group and 130 in the control group) had a mean (SD) age of 48.0 (10.5) years and mean (SD) body mass index of 32.1 (3.9); 225 (87.2%) were women; 235 (91.1%) were white; and 102 (39.5%) had an annual income of at least $100 000. Weight measurement was transmitted by 250 participants (96.9%) at 6 months and 227 (88.0%) at 12 months. The percentage of weeks that incentive and control participants achieved a mean self-weighing of at least 6 times was 85.3% vs 75.8%, respectively (P = .002) in phase 1 and 37.7% vs 50.2%, respectively (P = .009) in phase 2. Mean weight changes at the end of phase 1 were -1.1 (95% CI, -2.1 to -0.1) kg in the incentive group and -1.9 (95% CI, -2.9 to -0.8) kg in the control group, with a mean difference of 0.7 (95% CI, -0.7 to 2.2) kg (P = .30 for comparison). At the end of phase 2, mean weight changes were 0.2 (95% CI, -1.2 to 1.7) kg in the incentive group and -0.6 (95% CI, -2.0 to 0.8) kg in the control group, with a mean difference of 0.8 (95% CI, -1.2 to 2.8) kg (P = .41 for comparison). Conclusions and Relevance:Compared with an active control condition of weekly messages, escalating lottery-based incentives transiently increased rates of self-weighing but did not significantly enhance weight loss maintenance. Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01900392.

Project description:Background Obesity continues to be a serious public health challenge. Rates are increasing worldwide, with nearly 70% of the US adults overweight or obese, leading to increased clinical and economic burden. While successful approaches for achieving weight loss have been identified, techniques for long-term maintenance of initial weight loss have largely been unsuccessful. Financial incentive interventions have been shown in several settings to be successful in motivating participants to adopt healthy behaviors. Purpose Keep It Off is a three-arm randomized controlled trial that compares the efficacy of a lottery-based incentive, traditional direct payment incentive, and control of daily feedback without any incentive for weight-loss maintenance. This design allows comparison of a traditional direct payment incentive with one based on behavioral economic principles that consider the underlying psychology of decision-making. Methods Participants were randomized in a 2:1 ratio for each active arm relative to control, with a targeted 188 participants in total. Eligible participants were those aged 30-80 who lost at least 11?lb (5?kg) during the first 4?months of participation in Weight Watchers, a national weight-loss program, with whom we partnered. The interventions lasted 6?months (Phase I); participants were followed for an additional 6?months without intervention (Phase II). The primary outcome is weight change from baseline to the end of Phase I, with the change at the end of Phase II a key secondary endpoint. Keep It Off is a pragmatic trial that recruited, consented, enrolled, and followed patients electronically. Participants were provided a wireless weight scale that electronically transmitted daily self-monitored weights. Weights were verified every 3?months at a Weight Watchers center local to the participant and electronically transmitted. Results Using the study web-based platform, we integrated recruitment, enrollment, and follow-up procedures into a digital platform that required little staff effort to implement and manage. We randomized 191 participants in less than 1?year. We describe the design of Keep It Off and implementation of enrollment. Lessons Learned We demonstrated that our pragmatic design was successful in rapid accrual of participants in a trial of interventions to maintain weight loss. Limitations Despite the nationwide reach of Weight Watchers, the generalizability of study findings may be limited by the characteristics of its members. The interventions under study are appropriate for settings where an entity, such as an employer or health insurance company, could offer them as a benefit. Conclusions Keep It Off was implemented and conducted with minimal staff effort. This study has the potential to identify a practical and effective weight-loss maintenance strategy.

Project description:The Weight Loss Maintenance Trial (WLM) compared two long-term weight-maintenance interventions, a personal contact arm and an Internet arm, with a no-treatment control after an initial six-month Phase I weight loss program. The Internet arm focused on use of an interactive website for support of long-term weight maintenance. There is limited information about patterns of website use and specific components of an interactive website that might help promote maintenance of weight loss.This paper presents a secondary analysis of the subset of participants in the Internet arm and focuses on website use patterns and features associated with long-term weight maintenance.Adults at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) who lost at least 4 kilograms in an initial 20-week group-based, behavioral weight-loss program were trained to use an interactive website for weight loss maintenance. Of the 348 participants, 37% were male and 38% were African American. Mean weight loss was 8.6 kilograms. Participants were encouraged to log in at least weekly and enter a current weight for the 30-month study period. The website contained features that encouraged setting short-term goals, creating action plans, and reinforcing self-management habits. The website also included motivational modules, daily tips, and tailored messages. Based on log-in and weight-entry frequency, we divided participants into three website use categories: consistent, some, and minimal.Participants in the consistent user group (n = 212) were more likely to be older (P = .002), other than African American (P = .02), and more educated (P = .01). While there was no significant difference between website use categories in the amount of Phase I change in body weight (P = .45) or income (P = .78), minimal website users (n = 75) were significantly more likely to have attended fewer Phase I sessions (P = .001) and had a higher initial body mass index (BMI) (P < .001). After adjusting for baseline characteristics including initial BMI, variables most associated with less weight regain included: number of log-ins (P = .001), minutes on the website (P < .001), number of weight entries (P = .002), number of exercise entries (P < .001), and sessions with additional use of website features after weight entry (P = .002).Participants defined as consistent website users of an interactive behavioral website designed to promote maintenance of weight loss were more successful at maintaining long-term weight loss.NCT00054925; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00054925 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5rC7523ue).

Dataset Information

Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss: results from an internet-based randomized controlled trial.

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Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss: results from an internet-based randomized controlled trial.

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