None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Obesity is a major public health issue in Australia with approximately 67% of men and 52% of women overweight or obese. Obesity is associated with a number of life threatening diseases and is an independent risk factor for a range of cardiovascular diseases. Although group programs that involve weekly visits are regarded as the most effective strategy for treating obesity, there is an urgent need for the development of effective weight loss programs that are more widely accessible. The Internet may have considerable potential to deliver weight management programs for individuals who cannot access clinical programs or where frequent face-to-face contact is a substantial barrier. To date, little is known about the efficacy of online weight loss programs. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an Internet-based weight loss program for men that incorporates key behavioural strategies including social support and self monitoring.
Interventions
- The duration of the intervention is 3 months. The intervention involves attendance at one 75 minute face-to-face information session covering standard weight control instruction relating to diet, physical activity and behaviour change, focusing on self monitoring, goal setting and social support.
- Self monitoring using online website www.calorieking.com.au, which provides tools and information to help individuals improve their diet and physical activity behaviours, including submission of ene
- The duration of the intervention is 3 months. The intervention involves attendance at one 75 minute face-to-face information session covering standard weight control instruction relating to diet, physical activity and behaviour change, focusing on self monitoring, goal setting and social support. - Self monitoring using online website www.calorieking.com.au, which provides tools and information to help individuals improve their diet and physical activity behaviours, including submission of energy expenditure and intake and online group support. Participants are provided with individualised feedback sheets weekly for the first month; fortnightly in the second month; and once at the end of the third month. Participants will be instructed to enter daily eating and physical activity diaries each day for the 1st month; for 2 weeks in the 2nd month and for one week in the 3rd month. Participants are encouraged to visit the group forum to elicit social support where questions are answered from the research team and discussions threads are able to be started and answered by participants. There is no mandated use of the group forums (but this will be monitored as part of the process evaluation). Participants will also receive a program handbook.
Sponsors
Philip Morgan
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
Male
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Male staff or students at the University of Newcastle who have a BMI between 25 - 36kg/m2
Exclusion criteria
History of major medical problems such as heart disease in the last 5 years, diabetes, or orthopaedic or joint problems that would be a barrier to physical activity; recent weight loss of 4.5kg or more; taking medications that might be affected by weight loss
Outcome results
None listed