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Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research

Date Submitted: Jul 13, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: Jul 18, 2018 - Sep 12, 2018
Date Accepted: Jan 27, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)

The final, peer-reviewed published version of this preprint can be found here:

Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of ImpulsePal: Smartphone App–Based Weight Management Intervention to Reduce Impulsive Eating in Overweight Adults

van Beurden SB, Smith JR, Lawrence NS, Abraham C, Greaves CJ

Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of ImpulsePal: Smartphone App–Based Weight Management Intervention to Reduce Impulsive Eating in Overweight Adults

JMIR Form Res 2019;3(2):e11586

DOI: 10.2196/11586

PMID: 31038464

PMCID: 6658245

Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.

Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of ImpulsePal: Smartphone App–Based Weight Management Intervention to Reduce Impulsive Eating in Overweight Adults

  • Samantha B van Beurden; 
  • Jane R Smith; 
  • Natalia S Lawrence; 
  • Charles Abraham; 
  • Colin J Greaves

Background:

ImpulsePal is a theory-driven (dual-process), evidence-informed, and person-centered smartphone app intervention designed to help people manage impulsive processes that prompt unhealthy eating to facilitate dietary change and weight loss.

Objective:

The aims of this study were to (1) assess the feasibility of trial procedures for evaluation of the ImpulsePal intervention, (2) estimate standard deviations of outcomes, and (3) assess usability of, and satisfaction with, ImpulsePal.

Methods:

We conducted an individually randomized parallel two-arm nonblinded feasibility trial. The eligibility criteria included being aged ≥16 years, having a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2, and having access to an Android-based device. Weight was measured (as the proposed primary outcome for a full-scale trial) at baseline, 1 month, and 3 months of follow-up. Participants were randomized in a 2:1 allocation ratio to the ImpulsePal intervention or a waiting list control group. A nested action-research study allowed for data-driven refinement of the intervention across 2 cycles of feedback.

Results:

We screened 179 participants for eligibility, and 58 were randomized to the intervention group and 30 to the control group. Data were available for 74 (84%, 74/88) participants at 1 month and 67 (76%, 67/88) participants at 3 months. The intervention group (n=43) lost 1.03 kg (95% CI 0.33 to 1.74) more than controls (n=26) at 1 month and 1.01 kg (95% CI −0.45 to 2.47) more than controls (n=43 and n=24, respectively) at 3 months. Feedback suggested changes to intervention design were required to (1) improve receipt and understanding of instructions and (2) facilitate further engagement with the app and its strategies.

Conclusions:

The evaluation methods and delivery of the ImpulsePal app intervention are feasible, and the trial procedures, measures, and intervention are acceptable and satisfactory to the participants.

ClinicalTrial:

International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 14886370; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14886370 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/76WcEpZ51)


 Citation

Please cite as:

van Beurden SB, Smith JR, Lawrence NS, Abraham C, Greaves CJ

Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial of ImpulsePal: Smartphone App–Based Weight Management Intervention to Reduce Impulsive Eating in Overweight Adults

JMIR Form Res 2019;3(2):e11586

DOI: 10.2196/11586

PMID: 31038464

PMCID: 6658245

Per the author's request the PDF is not available.

© The authors. All rights reserved. This is a privileged document currently under peer-review/community review (or an accepted/rejected manuscript). Authors have provided JMIR Publications with an exclusive license to publish this preprint on it's website for review and ahead-of-print citation purposes only. While the final peer-reviewed paper may be licensed under a cc-by license on publication, at this stage authors and publisher expressively prohibit redistribution of this draft paper other than for review purposes.