Table 1.
Overview of characteristics of 42 trials, reported in 43 studies, included in the systematic review of behavioural weight management interventions
| Number of studies | Citations | |
|---|---|---|
| Study characteristics | ||
| Study design | ||
| RCTs | 43 (100%) | 37–79 |
| Year of publication | ||
| ≥2019 | 1 | 77 |
| 2017–2018 | 8 | 37, 48, 60, 61, 67, 70, 74, 76 |
| 2015–2016 | 11 | 38, 40, 41, 45, 47, 53, 58, 59, 62, 78, 79 |
| ≤2014 | 23 | 39, 42–44, 46, 49–52, 54–57, 63–66, 68, 69, 71–73, 75 |
| Overall risk of bias rating | ||
| Low risk of bias | 10 | 42, 46, 47, 52, 53, 56, 60, 61, 73, 77 |
| Unclear risk of bias | 15 | 30, 39–41, 44, 45, 48, 49, 64, 66, 67, 72, 76, 78, 79 |
| High risk of bias | 18 | 38, 43, 50, 51, 54, 55, 57–59, 62, 63, 65, 68–71, 74, 75 |
| Study location | ||
| United States | 15 | 38, 39, 41, 45, 46, 50–52, 59, 63, 64, 66, 71, 75, 79 |
| United Kingdom | 10 | 37, 40, 42, 44, 53, 57, 60, 69, 72, 73 |
| Australia | 8 | 48, 49, 54–56, 67, 72, 77 |
| Portugal | 2 | 68, 76 |
| Finland | 2 | 43, 58 |
| Germany | 2 | 72, 78 |
| Malaysia | 1 | 47 |
| Canada | 1 | 61 |
| Greece | 1 | 70 |
| India | 1 | 62 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 74 |
| Not reported | 1 | 65 |
| Participant characteristics | ||
| Sample size | ||
| ≤50 participants | 3 | 40, 44, 59 |
| 50–200 | 25 | 42, 43, 45, 48, 49, 51, 52, 54–58, 61, 62, 64, 66, 69–71, 74–79 |
| ≥200 | 15 | 37–39, 41, 46, 47, 50, 53, 60, 63, 65, 67, 68, 72, 73 |
| Mean age (years) | ||
| 18–30 | 2 | 41, 75 |
| 31–50 | 32 | 40, 42–45, 47, 49–58, 60–62, 66–74, 76–79 |
| 51–70 | 9 | 37–39, 46, 48, 59, 63–65 |
| Proportion female | ||
| 0% (all male) | 8 | 42, 54–56, 61, 62, 73, 79 |
| 50–99% | 27 | 37–39, 41, 43–45, 47–53, 57, 58, 60, 63, 65–67, 70–72, 74, 76, 77 |
| 100% (all female) | 8 | 40, 46, 59, 64, 68, 69, 75, 78 |
| Participant BMI (kg/m2) | ||
| 25–29.9 | 2 | 40, 41 |
| 30–34.9 | 23 | 37, 42, 43, 46–49, 51, 52, 54–56, 59, 64–68, 72, 75, 77–79 |
| 35–39.9 | 13 | 38, 39, 45, 53, 57, 58, 60, 61, 63, 69–71, 73 |
| ≥40 | 4 | 44, 50, 74, 76 |
| Not reported | 1 | 62 |
| Intervention characteristics | ||
| Intervention type | ||
| Education only | 33 | 37, 39, 41, 43, 45–55, 57–61, 63–72, 74, 77, 79 |
| Physical activity only | 4 | 40, 44, 46, 78 |
| Education and physical activity | 8 | 42, 46, 56, 57, 61, 62, 73, 75 |
| Delivery mode | ||
| Face to face | 23 | 37–40, 42, 44, 47, 49, 53, 57, 58, 60–62, 64, 68–70, 72, 73, 75, 78 |
| Online | 6 | 48, 51, 52, 59, 66, 77 |
| Resources | 4 | 48, 56, 65, 77 |
| Telephone | 2 | 39, 45 |
| Mixture of modes | 11 | 41, 43, 46, 50, 54–56, 63, 71, 74, 79 |
| Delivery format | ||
| Individuals only | 25 | 38, 39, 41, 43, 45, 48–52, 54–58, 60, 63, 65–67, 69–71, 76, 77, 79 |
| Groups only | 16 | 37, 39, 40, 42, 44, 47, 49, 53, 61, 62, 64, 68, 72, 73, 75, 78 |
| Groups and individuals | 4 | 46, 59, 63, 74 |
| Intervention duration | ||
| ≤2 months | 3 | 40, 49, 70 |
| >2–6 months | 25 | 37, 42, 44, 45, 47, 48, 51–57, 59–62, 64, 65, 69, 71, 73, 75, 77, 78 |
| >6–11 months | 4 | 50, 58, 66, 79 |
| >12–23 months | 9 | 37, 39, 43, 46, 61, 67, 68, 72, 74 |
| >24 months | 3 | 38, 41, 63 |
| Comparator characteristics | ||
| Type of control group | ||
| No intervention | 16 | 40, 43, 46, 51, 54–56, 61, 65, 66, 69, 73, 75, 77–79 |
| Minimal intervention | 14 | 37, 42, 47–49, 58, 59, 62–64, 67, 68, 70, 76 |
| Usual care | 13 | 38, 39, 41, 44, 45, 50, 52, 53, 57, 60, 71, 72, 74 |
| Outcome characteristics | ||
| Mental health outcomes reported at intervention-end | ||
| Anxiety | 6 | 37, 44, 46, 48, 57, 77 |
| Binge eating | 1 | 66 |
| Body image concerns | 2 | 66, 68 |
| Depression | 14 | 37, 38, 41, 44, 46, 48, 50, 57, 63, 64, 66, 70, 71, 77 |
| Emotional eating | 4 | 53, 58, 68, 72 |
| Negative affect | 4 | 42, 47, 61, 73 |
| Psychological distress | 1 | 74 |
| Quality of life (global) | 12 | 37, 39, 41, 48, 53, 57, 60, 61, 63, 69, 74, 77 |
| Quality of life (mental health-related) | 13 | 40, 42, 46, 47, 54–56, 63, 64, 67, 73, 74, 79 |
| Quality of life (obesity-related) | 4 | 51, 60, 72, 76 |
| Satisfaction with life | 2 | 37, 39 |
| Self-efficacy (general) | 2 | 49, 65 |
| Self-efficacy (diet-related) | 9 | 39, 43, 45, 47, 52, 59, 68, 75, 79 |
| Self-efficacy (exercise-related) | 7 | 39, 44, 54, 55, 68, 75, 79 |
| Self-esteem | 5 | 42, 57, 61, 73, 78 |
| Stress | 6 | 46, 48, 62, 70, 75, 78 |
| Mental health outcomes reported at 12 months from baseline | ||
| Anxiety | 0 | – |
| Body image concerns | 1 | 68 |
| Depression | 2 | 37, 46 |
| Emotional eating | 2 | 53, 68 |
| Negative affect | 1 | 73 |
| Psychological distress | 0 | – |
| Quality of life (global) | 5 | 37, 39, 53, 60, 74 |
| Quality of life (mental health-related) | 5 | 46, 67, 73, 74 |
| Quality of life (obesity-related) | 1 | 60 |
| Satisfaction with life | 1 | 39 |
| Self-efficacy (general) | 2 | 49, 65 |
| Self-efficacy (diet-related) | 3 | 39, 43, 68 |
| Self-efficacy (exercise-related) | 2 | 39, 68 |
| Self-esteem | 1 | 73 |
| Stress | 0 | – |
Note: Number of studies per characteristic may sum greater than 43 because of studies contributing multiple intervention arms.
Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index; RCT, randomized controlled trial.