NCT06335810

Reducing Obesity Using Social Ties Program

Reducing Obesity Using Social Ties (ROBUST): Randomized Control Trial

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 264 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Weill Medical College of Cornell University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This trial aims to test the feasibility and acceptability of addressing interpersonal barriers to weight-related behavior change. Specifically, the study will test if, by including up to two friends, family members, or co-workers in a lifestyle intervention for weight loss, the person enrolled in the study loses more weight than someone whose friends, family members, or co-workers were not invited to participate.

Detailed description

The investigators will evaluate whether the ROBUST intervention not only addresses individual-level behaviors (i.e., healthy eating, increased physical activity) but also: 1. reduces social undermining as well as changes perceived health norms by activating communal coping - a behavioral process that involves thinking, communicating, and acting as if a health risk (i.e., Type 2 diabetes) is shared; and 2. dampens the harmful effects of increased interpersonal conflict on weight by teaching participants how to induce a positive affect and self-affirming mindset Participants in the control arm will receive the same number of lifestyle sessions as those randomized to the social network intervention. Participants will: 1. Be randomly assigned to either the study group, which is asked to invite up to two friends or family members to join them at three coaching sessions, or the group that does not invite anyone. 2. Receive 15 coaching sessions over 24 weeks. 3. Complete an online questionnaire about eating and physical activity habits, confidence in developing healthier habits, mood, and health habits of twelve of their closest friends and family members. 4. Complete a 3-day weekly food log and wear a provided Fitbit for at least 9 hours daily. 5. The invited friends and family members will also be asked to complete a brief questionnaire about their eating and physical activity habits when they start and end the study.

Conditions

• Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Social Network Intervention	Social Network interventions are an intentional effort to modify or use the characteristics of social networks to improve, generate, and maintain healthy behaviors among individuals and populations. This study will focus on implementing a behavioral social-network intervention to promote changes in weight loss behaviors.
BEHAVIORAL	Individual Lifestyle Intervention	The individual lifestyle intervention will serve as the control group and will implement the use of DPP based health coaching sessions to promote individual level changes in weight loss behaviors.
OTHER	Social Network Member	The social network member will serve as the friend, family member, or co-worker nominated to participate in the social network intervention by the social network intervention participant.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-04-05
• Primary completion: 2026-12-31
• Completion: 2026-12-31
• First posted: 2024-03-28
• Last updated: 2026-04-01

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States