Using a technology-based intervention to promote weight loss in sedentary overweight or obese adults: a randomized controlled trial study design

Abstract

Purpose

The SenseWear™ Armband is an activity monitor developed to improve lifestyle self-monitoring. Currently, few studies assess electronic self-monitoring and weight loss with a lifestyle intervention program. To our knowledge, only one study has used the SenseWear Armband in combination with a lifestyle intervention to improve weight loss, and no studies have evaluated whether a self-monitoring intervention based solely on the armband can promote weight loss. Consequently, the aims of the study were to assess weight loss from electronic self-monitoring, to compare these values to the lifestyle intervention and standard care groups, and to compare weight loss with lifestyle intervention with and without the armband.

Patients and methods

We recruited 197 sedentary overweight or obese adults (age, 46.8 ± 10.8 years; BMI, 33.3 ± 5.2 kg/m²) to participate in the 9-month study. Participants were randomized into one of four weight loss groups: 1) the standard care group received a self-directed weight loss program, complete with an evidence-based weight loss manual (standard care, n = 50); 2) a 14-week group-based behavioral weight loss program followed by weekly, biweekly, and monthly telephone counseling calls (GWL, n = 49); 3) the use of the armband to help improve lifestyle self-monitoring (SWA alone, n = 49); or (4) the group-based behavioral weight loss program and follow-up telephone counseling calls plus the armband (GWL + SWA, n = 49). All participants received the evidence-based weight loss manual at baseline. All measures were performed at baseline and months 4 and 9. The primary outcomes were weight loss and waist circumference reduction.

Results

This study is a well-designed randomized controlled study powered to detect a 0.5-kg weight loss and 0.6-cm waist circumference reduction in overweight and obese sedentary adults.

Conclusion

Innovative technologies are providing lifestyle self-monitoring and weight loss tools. Utilizing these technologies may be an important step in improving the current obesity epidemic.

Keywords:

• lifestyle
• energy balance
• behavioral education
• accelerometer
• SenseWear^™ Armband

Acknowledgments

We thank the study participants for their dedication to advancing science. We thank the University of South Carolina student researchers Deidre Burch, Katelyn Tambellini, and Mia Taylor for their dedication to participant recruitment and retention, and thank Dr Rebecca A Meriwether for her guidance and advice throughout the study. We also thank the University of South Carolina’s Clinical Exercise Research Director, Patrick Crowley. Without his assistance, participant recruitment and data collection would not have been possible.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work, meaning that the authors do not receive monetary or professional incentives through the promotion of the SenseWear Armband. This study was funded by an unrestricted research grant provided by BodyMedia, which means that BodyMedia did not have primary influence upon the research performed and did not make the grant conditional upon study outcomes. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (No. NCT00957008).