Using Social Incentives and Gamification for Weight Loss Promotion

NCT02564445 | Completed Phase 3

• 1 other identifier: 823326
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 196
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This is a 36-week, three-arm randomized, controlled trial using a team-based model to compare two weight loss programs to control. Each intervention will use insights from behavioral economics to leverage social incentives and gamification.

Conditions

Weight Loss; Obesity; Physical Activity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in weight in pounds

  24-week primary intervention period

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Change in weight in pounds

  12-week follow-up period

• Physical activity (mean daily steps)

  24-week primary intervention period

• Physical activity (mean daily steps)

  12-week follow-up period

Study Arms (3)

Control

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts. They will be given information on the federal and CDC guidelines for physical activity and will also be told that they should strive to achieve 10,000 steps per day to help promote weight loss.

Behavioral: Feedback on weight; Behavioral: Feedback on step counts

Gamification

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts. All participants play a game with their teammate that includes points, levels and the opportunity to win a trophy, plaque or medal. They will advance or not advance based on their progress with weight loss and physical activity through 24 weeks. During the 12-week follow-up they'll be asked to maintain or make progress toward their weight loss goal.

Behavioral: Gamification; Behavioral: Feedback on weight; Behavioral: Feedback on step counts

Gamification + Share Data with PCP

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts. Participants will be asked to allow the study team to share their weight and step data with their primary care physician (PCP). All participants play a game with their teammate that includes points, levels and the opportunity to win a trophy, plaque or medal. They will advance or not advance based on their progress with weight loss and physical activity through 24 weeks. During the 12-week follow-up they'll be asked to maintain or make progress toward their weight loss goal.

Behavioral: Gamification; Behavioral: Share Data with PCP; Behavioral: Feedback on weight; Behavioral: Feedback on step counts

Interventions

Gamification BEHAVIORAL

All participants will be entered with their teammate into a game that includes points and levels

Gamification; Gamification + Share Data with PCP

Share Data with PCP BEHAVIORAL

Weight and step count data will be shared with the participant's primary care physician

Gamification + Share Data with PCP

Feedback on weight BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a wireless weight scale to weigh-in at home and receive feedback on weight.

Control; Gamification; Gamification + Share Data with PCP

Feedback on step counts BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a smartphone application that uses accelerometers within the phone to track step counts and receive feedback on step counts

Control; Gamification; Gamification + Share Data with PCP

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 70 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 to 70 years
• Ability to read and provide informed consent
• Has an iPhone 4 or newer
• Have self-reported body mass index of 30 or greater and in-person body mass index of 28 or greater

You may not qualify if:

• Conditions that would make participation infeasible such as inability to provide informed consent, illiteracy or inability to speak, read, and write English
• Conditions that would make participation unsafe such as current treatment for drug or alcohol use, myocardial infarction or stroke within the last 6 months, metastatic cancer, pregnant, breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant during study period, previous diagnosis of an eating disorder, or history of unsafe weight loss practices
• Already enrolled in another weight loss study
• Any other medical conditions or reasons that they could not complete a 36-week weight loss program

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Pennsylvania: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Weight Loss; Obesity; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Body Weight Changes; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Behavior

Study Officials

• Mitesh Patel, MD, MBA, MS

  University of Pennsylvania

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: phase 3
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 29, 2015
• First Posted: September 30, 2015
• Study Start: January 1, 2016
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2016
• Study Completion: December 1, 2016
• Last Updated: December 21, 2016

Record last verified: 2016-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share