Facebook and Friends: Developing an Effective Online Social Network for Weight Loss
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| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02656680 |
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Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : January 15, 2016
Results First Posted : March 16, 2021
Last Update Posted : April 15, 2021
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| Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
| Weight Loss | Behavioral: FB + Friends Behavioral: FB Only | Not Applicable |
The overarching goal of the research plan is to test ways to leverage mobile technologies and social media to increase the impact, scalability, cost-effectiveness, and dissemination potential of lifestyle interventions that reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Mobile technology and social media have the potential to reduce the intensity of traditional prevention interventions and enhance outcome by delivering behavioral strategies in-the-moment and by connecting patients other patients to generate better communication and a social support system for lifestyle changes.
This study includes a behavioral weight loss program delivered entirely via on online social network. The weight loss intervention is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), an evidence-based weight loss program focused on lifestyle changes. The goals for the intervention are 175 minutes of moderate physical activity per week and an overall weight loss of 7%. Each participant will get an individualized calorie goal that would facilitate a 1-2 lbs. weight loss weekly. Participants will be connected to one another via Facebook and receive behavioral counseling via posts from coaches who are present on the network daily. Participants will track their diet and exercise via a free commercial mobile app. Participants will be assigned to either a Facebook group allowing the invite of friends (wave 1), a Facebook group with open enrollment through week 8 (wave 2) or a Facebook group including only study participants. If they are assigned to the group including their friends, they have the opportunity to invite their friends to participate in the weight loss group if they are interested in losing weight as well. They will not have a limit as to how many friends they can invite. The friends that are invited will not undergo the same procedures as the FB+friends study participants, but we will provide them with a factsheet and collect minimal information from them. If they are assigned to the group with open enrollment through week 8, additional people will be recruited into that group. Those participants being enrolled between week 1-8 will undergo the same procedures as others besides randomization. The goal of both of these studies is to explore how to build the size of online weight loss groups in such a way that increases participant engagement. Feasibility outcomes include engagement (frequency of posts, likes, and comments and number of completed days of tracking posted) retention, acceptability, and weight loss. Post intervention focus groups will gather feedback on the program.
| Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
| Actual Enrollment : | 134 participants |
| Allocation: | Randomized |
| Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
| Masking: | None (Open Label) |
| Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
| Official Title: | Developing an Effective Online Social Network for Weight Loss |
| Actual Study Start Date : | February 1, 2018 |
| Actual Primary Completion Date : | February 20, 2020 |
| Actual Study Completion Date : | March 31, 2020 |
| Arm | Intervention/treatment |
|---|---|
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Experimental: FB+Friends
FB+Friends is a Facebook-delivered weight loss intervention. For this group, the study team continued to enroll participants through week 8.
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Behavioral: FB + Friends
Participants will receive a weight loss intervention delivered in an online context. The online coaches will post daily content, respond to questions, address concerns, and encourage engagement. The weight loss intervention is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), an evidence-based weight loss program focused on lifestyle changes. The goals for the intervention are 175 minutes of moderate physical activity per week and an overall weight loss of 7%. Each participant will get an individualized calorie goal that would facilitate a 1-2 lbs. weight loss weekly. Participants will also be encouraged to use an app such as MyFitnessPal to track daily diet. For this arm, the study team will keep recruitment open for this condition to allow enrollment of new participants through week 8.
Other Name: Continuous Enrollment |
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Active Comparator: FB Only
FB Only Facebook-delivered weight loss intervention including only study participants.
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Behavioral: FB Only
Participants will receive a weight loss intervention delivered in an online context. The online coaches will post daily content, respond to questions, address concerns, and encourage engagement. The weight loss intervention is based on the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), an evidence-based weight loss program focused on lifestyle changes. The goals for the intervention are 175 minutes of moderate physical activity per week and an overall weight loss of 7%. Each participant will get an individualized calorie goal that would facilitate a 1-2 lbs. weight loss weekly. Participants will also be encouraged to use an app such as MyFitnessPal to track daily diet.
Other Name: Closed Enrollment |
- Engagement [ Time Frame: 4 months ]Number of Facebook "likes" and other reactions, replies, posts, and polls per participant during the 16 week program.
- Retention [ Time Frame: 4 months ]The number of participants who complete the follow-up assessment in each condition.
- Number of Participants Rating the Intervention 'Acceptable [ Time Frame: 4 months ]Participants will rate acceptability of the online intervention. Acceptability was assessed with a single item during the follow-up survey: "How likely are you to recommend the program to a friend?" (responses on a 5-point Likert scale from not at all likely to very likely). Acceptability was categorized into acceptable, defined as responses of a little bit likely, somewhat likely, likely, and very likely, and unacceptable was defined as response of not at all likely.
- Percent Weight Loss [ Time Frame: Baseline to 4 months ]We calculated percent weight loss from baseline to 4 months.
- Diet [ Time Frame: 4 Months ]The number of intervention days that a participant tracked diet and/or exercise in MyFitnessPal app. Any entry was counted as a day of tracking.
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
| Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 65 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
| Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
Participants must be:
- 18-65 years of age;
- have a BMI 30-45 kg/m²;
- have written clearance from their primary care provider to participate; and
- have daily internet access;
Exclusion Criteria:
- Age under 18 or over 65;
- BMI under 25 or over 45;
- No medical clearance from primary care provider;
- Inactive on Facebook;
- Does not currently use a smartphone;
- Is not familiar with using phone apps;
- Plans to move during study;
- Pregnant/lactating;
- Had bariatric surgery, plans to during the study, or had recent weight loss;
- Condition that precludes lifestyle changes (i.e. a condition that prevents physical activity increase or dietary changes);
- Medications affecting weight;
- Incapable of walking ¼ mile without stopping;
- Type 1 or 2 diabetes;
- Participated in previous weight loss studies under the PI;
- Is a UMass/UConn employee and is uncomfortable participating in a Facebook group with other UMass/UConn employees
- Unable to attend the orientation visit;
- Inability to provide consent;
- Prisoners; and
- Has concerns about being audiotaped
Friends of the subjects participating in the FB+friends and FB w/o friends conditions:
- Must be: at least 18 years old;
- BMI of 25 or over; and
- Have an interest in losing weight.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02656680
| United States, Connecticut | |
| University of Connecticut | |
| Storrs, Connecticut, United States, 06269 | |
Documents provided by Sherry Pagoto, University of Connecticut:
| Responsible Party: | Sherry Pagoto, Professor, University of Connecticut |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02656680 |
| Other Study ID Numbers: |
H17-215 1K24HL124366-01A1 ( U.S. NIH Grant/Contract ) |
| First Posted: | January 15, 2016 Key Record Dates |
| Results First Posted: | March 16, 2021 |
| Last Update Posted: | April 15, 2021 |
| Last Verified: | March 2021 |
| Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
| Plan to Share IPD: | No |
| Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: | No |
| Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: | No |
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Body Weight Weight Loss Body Weight Changes |