TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence-Based Digital Tools for Weight Loss Maintenance
T2 - The NoHoW Project
AU - Stubbs, R. James
AU - Duarte, Cristiana
AU - Palmeira, António L.
AU - Sniehotta, Falko F.
AU - Horgan, Graham
AU - Larsen, Sofus C.
AU - Marques, Marta M.
AU - Evans, Elizabeth H.
AU - Ermes, Miikka
AU - Harjumaa, Marja
AU - Turicchi, Jake
AU - O'Driscoll, Ruari
AU - Scott, Sarah E.
AU - Pearson, Beth
AU - Ramsey, Lauren
AU - Mattila, Elina
AU - Matos, Marcela
AU - Sacher, Paul
AU - Woodward, Euan
AU - Mikkelsen, Marie Louise
AU - Sainsbury, Kirby
AU - Santos, Inês
AU - Encantado, Jorge
AU - Stalker, Carol
AU - Teixeira, Pedro J.
AU - Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal
N1 - Funding Information:
The NoHoW project has received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 643309. The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, is supported by a core grant from the Oak Foundation (grant agreement No. OCAY-18-774-OFIL).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.
PY - 2021/6/1
Y1 - 2021/6/1
N2 - Background: Effective interventions and commercial programmes for weight loss (WL) are widely available, but most people regain weight. Few effective WL maintenance (WLM) solutions exist. The most promising evidence-based behaviour change techniques for WLM are self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning and control, building self-efficacy, and techniques that promote autonomous motivation (e.g., provide choice). Stress management and emotion regulation techniques show potential for prevention of relapse and weight regain. Digital technologies (including networked-wireless tracking technologies, online tools and smartphone apps, multimedia resources, and internet-based support) offer attractive tools for teaching and supporting long-term behaviour change techniques. However, many digital offerings for weight management tend not to include evidence-based content and the evidence base is still limited. The Project: First, the project examined why, when, and how many European citizens make WL and WLM attempts and how successful they are. Second, the project employed the most up-to-date behavioural science research to develop a digital toolkit for WLM based on 2 key conditions, i.e., self-management (self-regulation and motivation) of behaviour and self-management of emotional responses for WLM. Then, the NoHoW trial tested the efficacy of this digital toolkit in adults who achieved clinically significant (≥5%) WL in the previous 12 months (initial BMI ≥25). The primary outcome was change in weight (kg) at 12 months from baseline. Secondary outcomes included biological, psychological, and behavioural moderators and mediators of long-term energy balance (EB) behaviours, and user experience, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Impact: The project will directly feed results from studies on European consumer behaviour, design and evaluation of digital toolkits self-management of EB behaviours into development of new products and services for WLM and digital health. The project has developed a framework and digital architecture for interventions in the context of EB tracking and will generate results that will help inform the next generation of personalised interventions for effective self-management of weight and health.
AB - Background: Effective interventions and commercial programmes for weight loss (WL) are widely available, but most people regain weight. Few effective WL maintenance (WLM) solutions exist. The most promising evidence-based behaviour change techniques for WLM are self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning and control, building self-efficacy, and techniques that promote autonomous motivation (e.g., provide choice). Stress management and emotion regulation techniques show potential for prevention of relapse and weight regain. Digital technologies (including networked-wireless tracking technologies, online tools and smartphone apps, multimedia resources, and internet-based support) offer attractive tools for teaching and supporting long-term behaviour change techniques. However, many digital offerings for weight management tend not to include evidence-based content and the evidence base is still limited. The Project: First, the project examined why, when, and how many European citizens make WL and WLM attempts and how successful they are. Second, the project employed the most up-to-date behavioural science research to develop a digital toolkit for WLM based on 2 key conditions, i.e., self-management (self-regulation and motivation) of behaviour and self-management of emotional responses for WLM. Then, the NoHoW trial tested the efficacy of this digital toolkit in adults who achieved clinically significant (≥5%) WL in the previous 12 months (initial BMI ≥25). The primary outcome was change in weight (kg) at 12 months from baseline. Secondary outcomes included biological, psychological, and behavioural moderators and mediators of long-term energy balance (EB) behaviours, and user experience, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Impact: The project will directly feed results from studies on European consumer behaviour, design and evaluation of digital toolkits self-management of EB behaviours into development of new products and services for WLM and digital health. The project has developed a framework and digital architecture for interventions in the context of EB tracking and will generate results that will help inform the next generation of personalised interventions for effective self-management of weight and health.
KW - Emotion regulation
KW - Information and communication technologies
KW - Motivation
KW - Obesity
KW - Self-regulation
KW - Weight loss maintenance
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105725070&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1159/000515663
DO - 10.1159/000515663
M3 - Article
C2 - 33915534
AN - SCOPUS:85105725070
SN - 1662-4025
VL - 14
SP - 320
EP - 333
JO - Obesity Facts
JF - Obesity Facts
IS - 3
ER -
