Developing a Weight Management Class as a Recruitment Tool for an Online Weight Loss Program to Rural Illinois Residents

NCT06406985 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: IRB24-0474
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 20
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to identify how to maintain a sustainable collaboration Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educators while continuing to offer an online weight-loss program, EMPOWER, to rural Illinois residents.

• The primary aim of the study is to determine if an Extension-delivered introductory weight management class will be successful in recruiting rural individuals interested in losing weight to the EMPOWER weight-loss program.
• The secondary aim is to enroll interested rural participants in an online weight loss intervention that focuses on promoting dietary and lifestyle behavioral changes to achieve ≥5 percent weight loss. Participants who participate in the EMPOWER weight-loss intervention will:
• Complete 12 online educational sessions over a 3-month period followed by a 9-month follow-up period.
• Participate in daily self-weighing using a provided WiFi-enabled scale.
• Will have a monthly nutrition coaching call once per month for the 12-month duration of the study.
• Will complete food records and self-report waist and hip circumference measures at baseline, 3-months, and 12-months.

Conditions

Overweight and Obesity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Recruitment feasibility

  Recruitment Goal: Recruitment will be completed within 3-months and 50% or more of submitted eligibility forms will be from those who attended the introductory weight-management class with Extension.

  3 months

• Sustainability of collaboration

  Exit interviews will be conducted with collaborators to identify themes surrounding the nature of the collaboration.

  end of 12-month study

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Weight-loss

  end of 12-month study

• Dietary change

  end of 12-month study

Study Arms (1)

EMPOWER Weight-Loss Participants

EXPERIMENTAL

All weight-loss participants will receive the same protocol and weight-loss education materials. Nutrition coaching is individualized to participant needs, but emphasizes the program's core themes throughout.

Behavioral: Weight-loss through dietary and lifestyle changes

Interventions

Weight-loss through dietary and lifestyle changes BEHAVIORAL

Weight-loss participants will complete one online, self-paced education session each week for 12 weeks. Education sessions focus on topics such as self-monitoring weight, meal routines, and dietary habits with an emphasis on protein and fiber intake. During these 12 weeks, participants will receive weekly messages from nutrition coaches as well as a monthly nutrition coaching call. After the first 12 weeks, participants will enter a follow-up period where nutrition coaching messaging will occur as needed and with the opportunity to still participate in a monthly nutrition coaching call. Participants are asked to weigh daily on a provided WiFi scale that automatically uploads their weight data to a website for researchers and coaches to monitor. Participants will also submit food records and self-reported weight and hip circumferences.

EMPOWER Weight-Loss Participants

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 75 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• BMI greater than or equal to 28 kg/m\^2
• age 18-75
• ability to access the internet and smartphone
• fluent in English
• having primary residence in a rural Illinois county

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnant or lactating
• previous or planned bariatric surgery
• BMI less than 28 kg/m\^2
• Age less than 18 or greater than 75
• no access to internet and smartphone/smart device
• on GLP-1 Receptor Agonist weight loss medication
• Diagnosed with an eating disorder

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Urbana, Illinois, 61801, United States

Location

Related Links

• EMPOWER Study Website

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Overweight; Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 6, 2024
• First Posted: May 9, 2024
• Study Start: May 7, 2024
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2025
• Study Completion: December 1, 2025
• Last Updated: June 3, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)