Web-Based Program Exposure and Retention in the Families Improving Together for Weight Loss Trial

Area of Science:

• Digital Health Interventions
• Obesity Research
• Health Disparities

Background:

• Behavioral skills training and parental involvement are effective for youth weight loss, but less so for underserved ethnic minorities.
• Limited research exists on effective weight management strategies for minority youth.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine if online program exposure predicts retention in a weight loss trial for African American youth.
• To assess the utility of paradata for understanding engagement in web-based interventions.

Main Methods:

• 125 parent-adolescent dyads were randomized to a tailored online intervention or a health education comparison program.
• Paradata, including login frequency and session duration, were collected.
• Study retention was defined as the collection of adolescent anthropometric measures at 6 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• A higher login rate significantly predicted retention (OR = 1.21).
• Participants retained in the study spent significantly more minutes per session (12.99 min) compared to those not retained (7.77 min).
• Login frequency, session duration, and participant demographics explained 11% of the variance in retention.

Conclusions:

• Paradata offers a feasible method for assessing exposure and retention in online interventions.
• This approach is valuable for studying underserved ethnic minority populations in digital health trials.