Changes to dietary intake during a 12-week commercial web-based weight loss program: a randomized controlled trial.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Behavioral Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• Commercial web-based weight loss programs are increasingly utilized.
• Understanding dietary changes within these programs is crucial for optimizing effectiveness.
• Comparing different program versions and identifying factors for success warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare dietary intake changes between basic and enhanced web-based weight loss programs versus a control group.
• To analyze dietary intake differences between successful (≥5% weight loss) and unsuccessful participants.

Main Methods:

• A secondary analysis of a 12-week randomized controlled trial involving 268 adults.
• Dietary intake assessed via a validated food frequency questionnaire at baseline and 12 weeks.
• Analysis of covariance used, with baseline values carried forward for dropouts.

Main Results:

• Both basic and enhanced programs increased fruit energy contribution and reduced energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods compared to controls (P<0.001).
• Successful participants demonstrated superior dietary improvements, including reduced daily energy intake (P<0.001) and greater increases in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
• No significant difference in dietary improvements was observed between the basic and enhanced program groups.

Conclusions:

• Commercial web-based weight loss programs can facilitate dietary improvements.
• Enhanced web-based tools did not yield significantly greater dietary changes than basic versions or control.
• Participants achieving ≥5% weight loss showed dietary improvements aligned with program goals and guidelines.