NCT03321331

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

Can Commercial Mobile Apps for Weight Management be Used in Interventions? Bridging the Gap Between Usability, Theoretical Adherence, and User Experience - Part II - WaznApp Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 123 (actual)
• Sponsor: American University of Beirut Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

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).

Detailed 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.

Conditions

• Body Weight Changes
• Overweight and Obesity
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Health Behavior

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
COMBINATION_PRODUCT	Lark (JITAI)	Lark works as a just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI), providing interactive counseling through a chat-style interface. The app prompts users to self-monitor, set goals, review them, provides feedback, and social support.
COMBINATION_PRODUCT	MyFitnessPal (no JITAI)	MyFitnessPal (MFP) is a calorie counting app, which relies on user input for food tracking, but automatically tracks activity through the phone or through integrations with wearable devices. This app provides allows to set weight and caloric goals, review them and to receive feedback, but it has limited social support, a feature that is generally lacking in calorie-counting apps.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-03-05
• Primary completion: 2018-07-30
• Completion: 2018-07-30
• First posted: 2017-10-25
• Last updated: 2019-01-14

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Lebanon