Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing two low-intensity weight loss maintenance interventions...

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Medicine
• Obesity Research
• Psychological Interventions

Background:

• Weight regain is a significant challenge following behavioral obesity treatment, diminishing initial weight loss benefits.
• Effective strategies are needed to support long-term weight management and prevent relapse.
• This study addresses the need for scalable, low-contact interventions for weight loss maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of two distinct weight loss maintenance interventions: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and self-regulation (SR).
• To assess potential mechanisms of action and moderators influencing treatment outcomes.
• To compare the effectiveness of ACT and SR in a randomized controlled trial setting.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving adults with overweight or obesity.
• Phase 1: A 3-month online weight loss program.
• Phase 2: Randomization to either an ACT or SR maintenance intervention (4 workshops, 6 months email contact) for participants achieving ≥4 kg weight loss.
• Primary outcome: Weight change from randomization to 30 months post-randomization.

Main Results:

• Data collection spans from baseline to 30 months post-randomization.
• Key outcome measures include weight change, ACT-specific constructs, self-weighing frequency, and motivation.
• Potential moderators such as initial weight loss will also be analyzed.

Conclusions:

• The study will compare the efficacy of ACT and SR interventions for long-term weight loss maintenance.
• Interventions are delivered in a scalable workshop format.
• Findings may inform future research on cost-effectiveness and real-world application of these strategies.