Using Tailored Messages to Encourage Healthy Lifestyle Choices in a Brief, Self-directed Intervention

NCT06856551 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 724308
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 200
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study aimed to investigate 1) if a brief, regulatory focus-based intervention could promote weight control and changes in certain lifestyle behaviors and 2) how weight was affected by changes in these behaviors. The lifestyle behaviors of interest included meal regularity, self-monitoring of diet and physical activity, fast-food eating, screen related viewing and eating, dietary modifications, self-weighing, and physical activity. It was hypothesized that increases in meal regularity, self-monitoring, healthy dietary modifications, self-weighing, and physical activity would lead to better weight control over six months. Conversely, it was hypothesized that increases in fast food consumption and screen related eating and viewing would lead to poorer weight control over six months. It was expected that promotion and prevention conditions, relative to the control condition, would lead to better weight control and increases in meal regularity, self-monitoring, healthy dietary modifications, self-weighing, and physical activity, and decreases in fast food consumption and screen related eating and viewing. Furthermore, it was expected that the promotion condition would lead to better outcomes than the prevention condition.

Conditions

Weight Control

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Weight Change

  Participant were weighed by study staff during a baseline measurement session (M = 153.7 lb, SD = 31.6) and then again after 6 months (M = 149.9 lb, SD = 28.9). Weight was self-reported at 3 months (M = 150.7 lb, SD = 29.4).

  baseline, 3 months, 6 months

Secondary Outcomes (7)

• meal regularity change

  baseline, 3 months

• fast-food eating change

  baseline, 3 months

• screen related eating and viewing change

  baseline, 3 months

• dietary modifications change

  baseline, 3 months

• self-monitoring change

  baseline, 3 months

Study Arms (3)

Minimal contact control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in the control group received a pamphlet about general dietary and physical activity guidelines.

Behavioral: Minimal contact control

Promotion focus group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed a 1-hour educational information session with study staff and received a packet which contained information about energy balance, healthy food choices, exercise recommendations, strategies for weight control, goal setting, and responding to lapses. Participants were encouraged to track their food intake and exercise with a provided log book or free apps (Lose It!; MyFitnessPal). All messages and study tasks were framed in terms of promotion focus. Email messages were sent every 2 to 3 weeks to reinforce the study messages about health promotion and weight control.

Behavioral: Promotion and Prevention Interventions

Prevention focus group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed a 1-hour educational information session with study staff and received a packet which contained information about energy balance, healthy food choices, exercise recommendations, strategies for weight control, goal setting, and responding to lapses. Participants were encouraged to track their food intake and exercise with a provided log book or free apps (Lose It!; MyFitnessPal). All messages and study tasks were framed in terms of prevention focus. Email messages were sent every 2 to 3 weeks to reinforce the study messages about health promotion and weight control.

Behavioral: Promotion and Prevention Interventions

Interventions

Minimal contact control BEHAVIORAL

Participants in the control group received a pamphlet about general dietary and physical activity guidelines.

Minimal contact control

Promotion and Prevention Interventions BEHAVIORAL

regulatory focus groups, participants completed a 1-hour educational information session with study staff and received a packet which contained information about energy balance, healthy food choices, exercise recommendations, strategies for weight control, goal setting, and responding to lapses. Participants were encouraged to track their food intake and exercise with a provided log book or free apps (Lose It!; MyFitnessPal). The informational content and intervention procedures were identical except for the framing of messages and tasks. The prevention messages emphasized protecting one's health (e.g., failing to regularly exercise can undermine your weight control program and lead to poor health; if you do not vigilantly follow these behaviors, you will not fulfill your weight control goals or protect your health and well-being; not eating fruits and vegetables results in failure to supply the body with the nutrients it needs). The promotion messages emphasized promoting one's health

Prevention focus group; Promotion focus group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• + years old
• generally healthy
• BMI between 18.5 and 35

You may not qualify if:

• pregnancy within the past 6 months
• current pregnancy
• plan to get pregnant in the next 6 months
• serious physical or psychological problems that would contraindicate participation in a weight-related program
• history of anorexia or bulimia
• diabetes or hypertension
• current participation in a weight-loss program
• BMI \< 18.5, \>35.0

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of North Florida: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of North Florida

Jacksonville, Florida, 32224, United States

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 14, 2025
• First Posted: March 4, 2025
• Study Start: October 30, 2015
• Primary Completion: March 20, 2017
• Study Completion: March 20, 2017
• Last Updated: April 17, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share

Locations

US (1)