Impact of Mobile Phone Texting Service to Support Weight Loss

Not Applicable

• Conditions: Obesity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Short Message Text Service; Behavioral: Standard Weight Management Group

• Registration Number: NCT02985307
• Lead Sponsor: NHS Lothian

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the efficacy of a mobile telehealth short message service as a facilitator for weight management. Half of the participants will receive a standard care weight management group intervention, while the other half will receive daily text messages via their mobile phone to help facilitate weight loss. It is hypothesized that the intervention group receiving text messages will be as successful as the control group at achieving weight loss over a 3-month period.

Detailed Description

Obesity, a chronic progressive disease, has become a major public health concern due to its increasing prevalence and association with many adverse health conditions including type 2 diabetes, many cancers and heart disease. The number of individuals requiring weight management intervention is increasing necessitating the need to explore other initiatives.

Developments in health technology are growing in popularity and there is increasing evidence that this type of intervention for obesity can significantly improve clinical outcomes. Mobile phones are a popular means of communication that provide a convenient, inexpensive means to deliver a health technology intervention.Short message service (SMS) by mobile phone has the potential to serve as an intervention medium to promote weight loss that is accessible and easy to use.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2016-11-29
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-12-02
• Study First Posted: 2016-12-07
• Study Start: 2017-04-28
• Status Verified: 2019-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-03-12
• Last Update Posted: 2019-03-14
• Primary Completion: 2019-10-31
• Study Completion: 2019-12-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: UNKNOWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• Body mass index > 35kg/m requiring to lose weight for an operation or having a co-morbidity including diabetes, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea or with a body mass >40kg/m with no co-morbidities.
• Own a mobile phone
• Have the ability to use short message service
• Have access to weighing scales
• Mentally capable of informed consent
• Have the ability to read and speak English

Exclusion Criteria

• Uncontrolled Hypothyroidism
• Poorly controlled psychiatric illness
• Current alcohol or drug abuse
• Learning disability
• Do not own a mobile phone
• Do not have access to weighing scales
• Does not have the ability to read or speak English

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Short Message Text Service	Short Message Text Service	Participants receive short messages daily via their mobile phone
Standard Weight Management Group	Standard Weight Management Group	Participants attend standard group weight management sessions

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Weight Loss	3 months	weight recorded in Kg on a Seca 635 medical digital load cell balance

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Behavioural changes necessary for weight loss	3 months	Self reported dietary and physical activity changes using 7-day food and exercise diaries
Body fat changes	3 months	Measured using a medically approved and validated scale: Tanita SC-240MA body composition analyser
Body Mass index	3 months	calculated using the formula weight in kg divided by height squared in metres
Height	3months	Height measured using Seca portable stadiometer with a sliding head plate

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Elizabeth McAnally; 🇬🇧 Edinburgh, West Lothian, United Kingdom

NHS Lothian; 🇬🇧 Edinburgh, West Lothian, United Kingdom