Factors associated with early dropout in an employer-based commercial weight-loss program

Area of Science:

• Health Behavior
• Obesity Research
• Digital Health Interventions

Background:

• Minimizing participant dropout is crucial for the success of weight-loss programs.
• Factors influencing dropout in commercial weight-loss interventions remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with early dropout in a remotely delivered, employer-based commercial weight-loss program.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 5,274 participants from 2013-2016.
• Early dropout defined as disengagement from telephone coaching by month 2.
• Multivariate logistic regression analyzed demographics, website engagement, and early weight change, adjusted for employer clustering.

Main Results:

• 26.8% of participants experienced early dropout.
• Increased odds of dropout were associated with having one or more chronic conditions (OR 1.41) and weight-loss failure at month 1 (OR 1.86).
• Decreased odds of dropout were linked to increasing age (OR 0.90 per 10-year interval) and high website engagement (≥90 logins in 3 months, OR 0.13).

Conclusions:

• Comorbidities, low online engagement, and initial weight-loss failure predict early dropout.
• Developing and testing targeted strategies, like enhanced support or tailored programs, is recommended for high-risk individuals.