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Obesity

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...

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Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report

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Weight loss on the web: A pilot study comparing a structured behavioral intervention to a commercial program.

Beth Casey Gold¹, Susan Burke, Stephen Pintauro

¹Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Vermont, 250 Carrigan Wing, 109 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.

Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)

|January 18, 2007

Summary

A structured, therapist-led online weight loss program (VTrim) resulted in significantly greater weight loss compared to a commercial self-help website (eDiets.com). This highlights the effectiveness of guided behavioral interventions for weight management.

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Area of Science:

Obesity research
Behavioral science
Digital health interventions

Background:

Internet weight loss programs are increasingly popular alternatives to traditional treatments.
Limited data exist on the comparative efficacy of different online weight loss approaches.
Overweight and obesity are significant public health concerns requiring effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare the effectiveness of a structured, therapist-led online behavioral weight loss program (VTrim) against a commercial self-help online program (eDiets.com).
To evaluate weight loss outcomes and adherence to a 5% weight loss goal in overweight and obese adults.

Main Methods:

A randomized controlled trial involving 124 overweight/obese adults (BMI 25–39.9 kg/m²).
Participants were assigned to either VTrim (therapist-led, n=62) or eDiets.com (self-help, n=62) for 12 months.
Outcome measures included body weight, social support, and website usage at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Analyses focused on 88 participants with complete follow-up data.

Main Results:

The VTrim group achieved significantly greater weight loss at 6 months (8.3 kg vs. 4.1 kg; p=0.004) and 12 months (7.8 kg vs. 3.4 kg; p=0.002) compared to eDiets.com.
A higher percentage of VTrim participants reached their 5% weight loss goal at 12 months (65% vs. 37.5%; p=0.01).

Conclusions:

Online, therapist-led behavioral weight loss programs demonstrate superior efficacy over self-help commercial websites.
Future research should explore integrating structured behavioral components into widely used commercial online platforms for broader public health impact.