A Self-directed Mobile Intervention to Promote Weight Control Among Employees of a Lebanese University (WaznApp)

American University of Beirut Medical Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Overweight and Obesity; Sedentary Lifestyle; Health Behavior; Body Weight Changes

Treatments: Combination Product: Lark (JITAI); Combination Product: MyFitnessPal (no JITAI)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03321331

URB103369

Details and patient eligibility

About

WaznApp study is a 12-week randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a self-directed behavioral weight-loss intervention targeting employees of an academic institution, using two popular consumer mobile applications for weight loss. The hypothesis is that individuals assigned to the app that provides interactive feedback and proactively motivates engagement in healthy behaviors (eating healthily and being more active) will be significantly better than those who receive the comparison condition (a simple calorie tracking app).

Full description

BACKGROUND: Recent reviews show that popular mobile apps for weight loss and weight management embed elements that are commonly associated with behavior change, such as setting goals, self-reporting and monitoring behavior, and prompting feedback on performance. These technologies show good potential for developing interventions for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. Despite their potential, little is known about how these changes can occur and the way end-users perceive and use these apps. Few studies tested if commercial apps for weight management can be used in interventions for behavior change.

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a self-directed weight-loss intervention targeting employees of an academic institution, using consumer mobile applications for weight loss (Lark and MyFitnessPal).

SETTING: American University of Beirut campus and Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.

PARTICIPANTS: Employees (adults aged 18+), with criteria of being able to read, write, and understand English, being owners of a mobile phone with either Android (v4.4 or above) or iPhone operative system (v8 or later); in better controlling their weight, and provide written informed consent to participate in the trial.

RESEARCH DESIGN: The study is a single-center, parallel randomized controlled trial with two study arms (intervention and control). The intervention arm will use Lark, a mobile coach app, which provides a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI) by providing motivational feedback, goal setting, and emotional social support, among other change techniques. The control group will use MyFitnessPal, a calorie-counting app, which does not include JITAI components, but allows users to keep track of their caloric intake and energy expenditure.

EXPECTED IMPACT: This project will provide preliminary evidence on the efficacy of weight management apps, promoting behavior change among employees of an academic workplace. The results will inform larger scale studies targeting this population in Lebanon, and will be used as benchmark for further investigations in other settings and with other target groups.

Enrollment: 123 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Be an employee of the American University of Beirut (AUB) or its Medical Center (AUBMC).
2. To be able to read, write, and understand English.
3. To own a mobile phone with either Android (v4.4 or above) with or iOS (v8 or later).
4. To be interested in better controlling their weight.

Exclusion criteria

1. Students, who cannot prove their status as full-time or part-time employees at AUB or AUBMC.
2. Employees who are not able to read, write, and understand English.
3. Employees who do not own a mobile phone with either Android (v4.4 or above) or iOS (v8 or later).
4. Employees who have physical disabilities preventing them from exercising or walking.
5. Employees who are on a special diet for treatment of chronic conditions (e.g., Diabetes).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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123 participants in 2 patient groups

Lark (JITAI)

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the intervention arm will use for 12 weeks the pro version of a mHealth app called "Lark", developed by Lark Technologies Ltd. Lark is a coach app, which uses several variables to generate smart and empathic conversations. Variables include activity, sleep, meals, weight, and height data, weight goal set by the user/Lark coach, activity goal set by user/Lark coach, starchy food goal set by user/Lark coach. Lark uses all these variables to create a dynamic coaching system, constantly changing and adapting to the user in the moment and over time. For these features, Lark provides a just in time adaptive intervention (JITAI).

Treatment:

Combination Product: Lark (JITAI)

MyFitnessPal (no JITAI)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the control arm will be assigned to use MyFitnessPal. Similar to the intervention arm, they will be instructed to use the app for 12 weeks. MyFitnessPal does not include JITAI components, but allows users to keep track of their caloric intake and energy expenditure. MyFitnessPal has features that can be associated with effective behavior change techniques, including: self-monitoring of behavior and outcomes, goal setting and feedback (similar to Lark). In MyFitnessPal, social support is limited to comments and 'likes' from friends of its restricted user community, therefore tackling the techniques of "social comparisons" and "social reward".

Treatment:

Combination Product: MyFitnessPal (no JITAI)