Feasibility of Technology Mediated Lifestyle Intervention for Overweight and Obese Young Adults (Rashakaty)

United Arab Emirates University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Overweight and Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: R-Enhanced; Behavioral: R-Basic

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04919759

33/2014/2015

Details and patient eligibility

About

Rashakaty (Fitness for Me) study aimed to design a new technologies-based intervention using a website and smart phone applications and to test the feasibility of implementing a lifestyle intervention using these technologies for overweight and obese university students. The intervention was implemented in two universities in the United Arab Emirates

Full description

Poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle are common among young adults and increase risk for chronic diseases in subsequent years of life. Rashakaty (Fitness for Me) study aimed to design a new technologies-based intervention using a website and smart phone applications and to test the feasibility of implementing a lifestyle intervention using these technologies for overweight and obese university students. The study intervention was guided by Social Cognitive Theory. The study involved the development of a website, integrating educational material and mobile applications for monitoring diet and physical activity and a16-week feasibility trial to promote weight loss, improve food choices and increase physical activity levels. The trial consisted of two arms: Rashakaty Basic (R-Basic) and Rashakaty Enhanced (R-Enhanced).

Enrollment: 246 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 35 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Overweight or obese (BMI ≥25.0
• Adults: Female
• Age: 18-35 years
• Current user of a smart phone
• Student in one of the two target universities in the United Arab Emirates
• Living in or off the university campus

Exclusion criteria

• Past or planned weight loss surgery
• Pregnant or breastfeeding
• Lost 7 kg in the past 3 months
• Following any weight loss program for 3 months or more
• Taking any steroid or thyroid hormones treatment or any other medication that may affect body weight
• Enrolled in medical and nutrition programs since one of the program components was nutrition knowledge assessments

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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246 participants in 2 patient groups

Rashakaty Basic (R-Basic)

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the R-Basic intervention arm had access to a website that contained the study questionnaires and nutrition education materials

Treatment:

Behavioral: R-Basic

Rashakaty Enhanced (R-Enhanced)

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the R-Enhanced intervention were given access to smart phones applications for monitoring diet and physical activity levels as well as an online access to a nutritionist

Treatment:

Behavioral: R-Enhanced