JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Digital behavioral weight loss programs are scalable, effective, and provide an opportunity to personalize intervention components. However, more research is needed to test the acceptability and efficacy of personalized digital behavioral weight loss interventions.

Objective:

In a 6-month single-arm trial, we examined weight loss, acceptability, and secondary outcomes of a virtual commercial weight loss program (WeightWatchers (WW)). This digital program included a personalized weight loss program based on sex, age, height, weight, and personal food preferences as well as synchronous (e.g., virtual workshops and individual weekly check-ins) and asynchronous elements (e.g., mobile app and virtual group). In addition to a personalized daily and weekly PersonalPoints target, the program provided users with personalized lists of ≥300 ZeroPoint foods which are foods that do not need to be weighed, measured or tracked.

Methods:

We conducted a pre-post evaluation of this 6-month digitally-delivered and personalized WW weight management program on weight loss, participation, satisfaction, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, sleep quality, hunger, food cravings, quality of life, self-compassion, and well-being at 3- and 6-months.

Results:

Participants (N=153) were 70% female, 42.5% identified as being from a minoritized racial and/or ethnic group (mean age=41.09; SD = 13.78) and had a mean BMI of 31.8 (SD = 5.0). Participants lost an average of -4.25% (SD = 3.93) weight loss from baseline to 3 months and -5.05% (SD = 5.59) weight loss from baseline to 6 months. At 6 months, the percentage of participants who experienced 3%, 5% or 10% or greater weight loss was 63.4%, 51% and 14.4% respectively. The mean percent of weeks participants engaged in one or more aspects of the program was 87.53% (SD = 23.40) at 3 months and 77.67% (SD = 28.69) at 6 months. Over two-thirds of participants rated satisfaction highly. Significant improvements were observed in fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, sleep quality, hunger, food cravings, quality of life, and well-being (Ps<.01).

Conclusions:

This personalized, digital and scalable behavioral weight management program resulted in clinically significant weight loss and improvements in behavioral and psychosocial outcomes. Future research should compare personalized digital weight loss programs to generic programs on weight loss, participation, and acceptability. Clinical Trial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04032389; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04032389.