Table 1.
Outcome Studies of Technology-Based Weight-Loss and -Maintenance Programs
| Study | N | Intervention | Technological Component(s) Used | Age M (SD) | BMI M (SD) | Length of Intervention | Follow-Up | Measurements | Results (Significance) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke et al.39 |
93 |
Cohort |
SM |
27 (np) |
35 (np) |
8 weeks |
8 and 24 weeks |
Mean weight change (kg) |
−6.9 lbs (np) (np) |
| Cussler et al.50 |
135 |
a: Internet weight-maintenance group (n = 52) b: Self-directed group (n = 59) |
SM, GS, SP |
a: 48.0 (4.6) b: 48.4 (4.3) |
a: 32.3 (3.9) b: 30.4 (3.3) |
12 months |
4 and 16 months |
Mean change in BMI |
a: −2.1 (1.4) b: −1.3 (1.8) (nonsignificant) |
| Bennett et al.34 |
101 |
a: Web-based weight loss (n = 51) b: Usual care (n = 50) |
SM, CFC, GS, SP, ITP |
a: 54.4 (7.4) b: 54.5 (8.9) |
a: 35.0 (3.5) b: 34.6 (3.2) |
3 months |
3 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −2.3 (3.2) b: 0.3 (1.9) (np) |
| Gold et al.28 |
124 |
a: VTrim (n = 62) b: eDiets.com (n = 62) |
SM, GS, SP |
a: 46.5 (10.7) b: 48.9 (9.9) |
a: 32.3 (3.9) b: 32.5 (4.2) |
12 months |
6 and 12 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −7.8 (7.5) b: −3.4 (5.8) (p = 0.002) |
| Harvey-Berino et al.48 |
122 |
Maintenance program: a: Internet (n = 30) b: Minimal in-person (n = 28) c: Frequent in-person (n = 32) |
SM, GS |
a: 46.3 (11.1) b: 49.1 (9.1) c: 49.8 (8.4) |
a: 32.2 (4.0) b: 32.8 (4.6) c: 31.5 (4.8) |
12 months |
6, 12, and 28 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −5.7 (5.9) b: −10.4 (9.3) c: −10.4 (6.3) (p < 0.05 for “a” vs. “b” and “c”) |
| Harvey-Berino et al.49 |
255 |
Maintenance program: a: Internet (n = 52) b: Minimal in-person (n = 63) c: Frequent in-person (n = 61) |
SM, CFC, GS |
a: 46.5 (9.8) b: 46 (7.7) c: 45.3 (8.9) |
a: 29.3 (5.2) b: 29.0 (4.3) c: 28.9 (3.8) |
12 months |
6, 12, and 18 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −7.6 (7.3) b: −5.5 (8.9) c: −5.1 (6.5) (nonsignificant) |
| Hunter et al.31 |
446 |
a: Behavioral Internet treatment (n = 224) b: Usual care (n = 222) |
SM, CFC, SP |
a: 33.5 (7.4) b: 34.4 (7.2) |
a: 29.4 (3.0) b: 29.3 (3.0) |
24 weeks |
6 months |
Mean change in BMI |
a: −0.5 (1.4) b: 0.2 (1.1) (p < 0.001) |
| Hurling et al.36 |
77 |
Physical activity monitor: a: Fully automated feedback (n = 47) b: No feedback (n = 30) |
SM, CFC, SP, ITP |
a: 40.5 (7.1) b: 40.1 (7.7) |
a: 26.2 (2.8) b: 26.5 (4.1) |
9 weeks |
9 weeks |
Mean change in percent body fat |
a: −2.2 (0.6) b: −0.2 (0.8) (p = 0.04) |
| McConnon et al.41 |
221 |
a: Internet weight-loss intervention (n = 54) b: Usual care (n = 77) |
CFC, SP |
a: 48.1 (np) b: 47.4 (np) |
a: 34.5 (np) b: 34.4 (np) |
12 months |
12 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −1.3 (np) b: −1.9 (np) (np) |
| McTigue et al.30 |
50 |
Cohort |
SM, CFC, GS, SP |
51.9 (10.8) |
np |
12 months |
12 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
−4.8 (np) (np) |
| Micco et al.40 |
123 |
a: Internet +in-person treatment (n = 61) b: Internet only (n = 62) |
CFC, GS |
a: 47.1 (11.1) b: 46.5 (10.7) |
a: 31.0 (4.1) b: 32.3 (3.9) |
12 months |
6 and 12 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −6.8 (7.8) b: −5.1 (7.1) (nonsignificant) |
| Patrick et al.42 |
65 |
a: Phone-based dietary and weight-loss intervention (n = 33) b. Printed weight-loss materials (n = 32) |
SM, CFC, SP |
a: 47.4 (7.1) b: 42.4 (7.5) |
a: 32.8 (4.3) b: 33.5 (4.5) |
4 months |
2 and 4 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −2.88 (np) b: −0.91 (np) (p = 0.02) |
| Polzien et al.38 |
58 |
a: Cont-Tech (n = 19) b: Int-Tech (n = 19) c: SBWP (n = 19) |
SM, CFC |
a: 42.6 (10.0) b: 41.1 (8.3) c: 40.2 (8.0) |
a: 32.6 (2.7) b: 33.4 (2.8) c: 33.36 (2.7) |
12 weeks |
12 weeks |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −6.2 (4.0) b: −3.4 (3.4) c: −4.1 (2.8) (p < 0.05 for “a” vs. “b”) |
| Richardson et al.37 |
12 |
Pedometer feedback with nutritional counseling (n = 12) |
SM, CFC |
52.7 (np) |
37 (6.5) |
3 weeks |
3 weeks |
Mean weight change (lbs) |
−4.1 (np) (p = 0.004) |
| Rothert et al.46 |
675 |
a: Web-based tailored (n = 306) b: Web-based weight-management materials (n = 279) |
SP, ITP |
a: 45.6 (12.1) b: 45.2 (12.0) |
a: 33.0 (3.8) b: 31.1 (3.9) |
6 weeks |
3 and 6 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −2.8 (0.3) b: −1.1 (0.4) (p < 0.001) |
| Svetkey et al.47 |
1032 |
Weight-loss maintenance a: Internet (n = 347) b: Monthly in-person contact (n = 341) c: Control (n = 341) |
SM, GS, SP |
a: 55.7 (8.5) b: 55.4 (9.1) c: 55.8 (8.5) |
a: 34.2 (4.9) b: 34.2 (4.8) c: 34.0 (4.8) |
30 months |
6, 12, 18, and 30 months |
Mean weight regain (kg) |
a: 5.2 b: 4.0 c: 5.5 (p = 0.001 for “b” vs. “c”) |
| Tate et al.26 |
91 |
Internet: a: Behavior therapy (n = 33) b: Education (n = 32) |
SM, CFC, GS, SP |
a: 41.1 (11.6) b: 40.6 (9.7) |
a: 29.1 (3.0) b: 28.9 (3.1) |
24 weeks |
3 and 6 months |
Mean weight change (kg) Reduction in weight circumference (cm) |
a: −4.1 (4.5) b: −1.6 (3.3) (p = 0.04) a: −6.4 (5.5) b: −3.1 (4.4) (p = 0.005) |
| Tate et al.32 |
92 |
Internet weight-loss program plus: a: E-counseling (n = 46) b: No counseling (n = 46) |
SM, CFC, GS, SP |
a: 49.8 (9.3) b: 47.3 (9.5) |
a: 31.0 (3.9) b: 33.7 (3.7) |
12 months |
3, 6, and 12 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −4.4 (6.2) b: −2.0 (5.7) (p = 0.04) |
| Tate et al.33 |
192 |
Internet behavioral program plus: a: E-counseling (n = 64) b: Automated feedback (n = 61) c: No counseling (n = 67) |
SM, CFC, GS, SP |
a: 47.9 (9.8) b: 49.7 (11.4) c: 49.9 (8.3) |
a: 32.8 (3.4) b: 32.7 (3.5) c: 32.3 (3.7) |
6 months |
3 and 6 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −7.3 (6.2) b: −4.9 (5.9) c: −2.6 (5.7) (p = 0.001 for “a” vs. “c”) |
| Turner-McGrievy et al.45 |
78 |
a: Social cognitive weight-loss podcast (n = 41) b: Commercial weight-loss podcast (n = 37) |
SP |
a: 37.7 (11.8) b: 39.6 (12.2) |
a: 31.8 (3.2) b: 31.4 (4.1) |
12 weeks |
12 weeks |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −1.0 (1.2) b: −0.1 (0.7) (p < 0.001) |
| Webber et al.27 |
18 |
Online Motivational interviewing: a: Group with values (n = 9) b: Group without values (n = 9) |
SM, GS, SP |
40.6 (11.3) |
31.0 (4.2) |
8 weeks |
8 weeks |
Mean self-reported weight loss (kg) |
a: −1.5 (2.2) b: −2.7 (2.9) (nonsignificant) |
| Wing et al.44 |
314 |
a: Internet self-regulation program (n = 104) b: Face-to-face self-regulation program (n = 105) c: Control (n = 105) |
SM, CFC |
a: 46.5 (10.7) b: 48.9 (9.9) |
a: 32.3 (3.9) b: 32.5 (4.2) |
18 months |
6, 12, and 18 months |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: 4.7 (8.6) b: 2.5 (6.7) c: 4.9 (6.5) (p = 0.05 for “b” vs. “c”) |
| Womble et al.29 |
47 |
a: eDiets.com (n = 23) b: Weight-loss manual (n = 24) |
SM, CFC, SP |
a: 44.2 (9.3) b: 43.3 (11.1) |
a: 33.9 (3.2) b: 33.0 (3.0) |
16 weeks |
16 and 52 weeks |
Mean weight change (kg) |
a: −0.8 (3.6) b: −3.3 (4.1) (p = 0.04) |
| Yon et al.24 | 176 | a: Personal digital assistant self-monitoring (n = 57) b: Paper diary self-monitoring (n = 93) |
SM | a: 48.2 (8.7) b: 46.1 (9.2) |
a: 32.3 (3.4) b: 30.9 (3.5) |
6 months | 6 months | Mean weight change (kg) | a: −6.3 (6.1) b: −7.2 (5.2) (nonsignificant) |
BMI, body mass index; SM, self-monitoring; CFC, counselor feedback and communication; GS, group support; SP, structured program; ITP, individually tailored program; np, value not provided.