Outcomes in a digital weight management intervention with one-on-one health coaching

Some guidelines state that in-person weight management interventions are more efficacious than those delivered digitally. However, digital programs are more scalable and accessible. We hypothesized that one-on-one health coaching via app-based video chat would simulate an in-person experience and help achieve outcomes comparable to those of in-person interventions.

A 12-month digital weight management intervention was provided to overweight or obese adults recruited from a large technology company. One-on-one health coaching sessions were offered during a 24-week intensive phase as well as subsequent maintenance phase. Focused on sustainable changes in activity and diet, the intervention incorporates SMART goals, in-app food and activity logs, Fitbit integration, as well as optional sleep and stress modules. Self-Determination Theory and the Transtheoretical Model are incorporated to drive behavior change. Multilevel mixed-effects models were used to analyze weight changes retrospectively.

Six hundred eighty-three participants reported 29,051 weights. At 12 months, mean percent changes in body weight were -7.2% and -7.6% for overweight and obese groups, respectively. A weight change of -5% is commonly targeted for in-person weight management interventions. Observed weight loss exceeded this target by 2.2% (95% CI, 0.7% to 3.8%; P < .01) for the overweight group and 2.6% (95% CI, 1.4% to 3.9%; P < .01) for the obese group.

Further research is needed with randomization to in-person or digital interventions. Though limited by an observational, retrospective design, preliminary results suggest that some digital weight management programs with one-on-one coaching may achieve outcomes comparable to those of robust, in-person interventions.