Diet Tracking Prescriptions for Weight Loss

NCT06311175 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: H20-0114
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 108
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Lifestyle interventions are effective at producing modest weight loss. One of the strongest predictors of weight loss is food tracking, which involves logging all food and beverage consumed each day in an effort to stay within a daily calorie goal. Standard lifestyle interventions prescribe daily food tracking for the length of the program which can range from 3-24 months. This can be a taxing prescription that is not feasible to do long term for many people. The purpose of this pilot feasibility randomized trial is to test the feasibility of 3 tracking prescriptions during an 8 week digital weight loss intervention: 1) tracking daily, 2) tracking two weeks on and one week off, 3) tracking every other week. Feasibility is defined as tracking prescription compliance, burden, acceptability, and perceived efficacy, and tracking self-efficacy. Diet tracking will be evaluated one month after the intervention ends so that groups can be compared on diet tracking maintenance.

Conditions

Obesity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Compliance with diet tracking prescription

  percent of prescribed days with complete tracking

  8 weeks

• Persistence with diet tracking prescription

  percent of days of complete tracking in week 8

  8 weeks

• Burden of tracking prescription

  Total score of three items: 5 point Likert scale ratings of how time consuming, hard to remember, and stressful the prescription was to follow. Minimum score =0, maximum score =12. Higher scores indicate higher burden

  8 weeks

• Acceptability of tracking prescription

  Total score of three items: 5 point Likert scale ratings of how easy the tracking prescription is, how much they like it, and their plans to continue the tracking prescription. Minimum score =0, maximum score =12. Higher scores indicate higher acceptability.

  8 weeks

• Perceived efficacy of tracking prescription

  Total score of how much they agree with 3 items on a 5 point Likert scale: tracking this often is enough to help me lose weight, tracking this often is enough to help me eat a healthier diet, and tracking this often is enough to keep me exercising. Minimum score =0, maximum score =12. Higher scores indicate higher perceived efficacy.

  8 weeks

• Self-efficacy of diet tracking

  Total score of how much they agree with 3 items on a 5 point Likert scale: "I feel confident I could continue this tracking prescription for the next month." "I feel confident I could continue this tracking prescription for 3 months." "I feel confident I can continue this tracking prescription for 6 months." Minimum score =0, maximum score =12. Higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy.

  8 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Diet Tracking One Month Post-Intervention

  12 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Standard Diet Tracking Prescription

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

This group will be asked to track their diet using a commercial mobile application every day for the 8 week digital weight loss intervention.

Behavioral: Dietary Tracking Prescription

66% Tracking Prescription

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will be asked to track their diet for 2 weeks, then they will get a 1 week break, track for 2 more weeks and then get a 1 week break, and then track for 2 weeks during the 8 week digital weight loss intervention.

Behavioral: Dietary Tracking Prescription

50% Tracking Prescription

EXPERIMENTAL

This group will be asked to track their diet every other week during the 8 week digital weight loss intervention.

Behavioral: Dietary Tracking Prescription

Interventions

Dietary Tracking Prescription BEHAVIORAL

Dietary tracking prescriptions to follow during a digital weight loss intervention.

50% Tracking Prescription; 66% Tracking Prescription; Standard Diet Tracking Prescription

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• BMI 27-45 kg/m2
• Wi-Fi connectivity at home
• Logs into Facebook at least 5 days per week over the past 2 weeks
• Has "liked", posted, or replied on Facebook at least twice a week over the past month
• Able to participate in the study in English
• Interested in losing weight
• Lives in US

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant/lactating or plans to become pregnant during study period
• Reports having bipolar disorder, substance abuse, psychosis, an eating disorder, or severe depression
• Had bariatric surgery or plans to have surgery during the study
• Currently taking medication affecting weight
• Has lost ≥5% of weight in past 3 months
• Is participating or intends to participate in another weight loss program during the study
• Chronic pain that interferes with the ability to exercise
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Unable to make dietary changes or increase physical activity
• Unable to walk ¼ mile unaided without stopping
• Currently smokes or vapes nicotine twice a week or more
• Has a digestive disorder/condition that precludes dietary changes
• Meets criteria for severe depression on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (score of \>19)
• Does not currently own a smartphone

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Connecticut: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut, 06269, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Sherry Pagoto, PhD

  University of Connecticut

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups in parallel for the duration of the study

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 3, 2024
• First Posted: March 15, 2024
• Study Start: April 30, 2024
• Primary Completion: November 22, 2024
• Study Completion: December 1, 2024
• Last Updated: March 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)