Weight Watchers and Families

Ripple Effect of a Nationally Available Weight Loss Program on Untreated Family Members

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT03042208

Enrollment

260

Registered

2017-02-03

Start date

2015-01-02

Completion date

2015-10-30

Last updated

2017-02-03

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Overweight and Obesity

Brief summary

Research suggests that when one spouse loses weight, the other spouse does too. This study will examine whether a ripple effect is observed in untreated spouses and children of individuals participating in a nationally available weight loss program. Participants will be randomly assigned to either receive Weight Watchers immediately or at the end of a 6-month waiting period. Participants and untreated spouses (and any children in the home) will be assessed at baseline, 3, and 6 months.

Interventions

OTHERSelf guided handout

Written handout with basic weight management strategies

BEHAVIORALWeight Watchers

Access to Weight Watchers in-person meetings and online tools

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

25 Years to 70 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* body mass index between 27.0-40.0 kg/m2 * married or living with a significant other who had a BMI \> 25 kg/m2

Exclusion criteria

* currently in a weight loss program, dieting, or taking medications that might affect weight * had participated in a weight loss program in the past year * lost \> 5% of their body weight in the past 6 months * were planning to or had undergone weight loss surgery * had any orthopedic limitations or contraindications to physical activity * were pregnant, lactating, or less than 6 months postpartum, or were planning to become pregnant in the next year * reported uncontrolled hypertension, history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease; reported chronic gastrointestinal disease * endorsed having hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, or HIV * had a history of cancer within the past 5 years * reported a significant psychiatric illness that might interfere with completion of the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in Weight	0, 3, and 6 months	body weight measured in kg

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026