TY - JOUR

T1 - Evidence-Based Digital Tools for Weight Loss Maintenance

T2 - The NoHoW Project

AU - Stubbs, R. James

AU - Duarte, Cristiana

AU - Palmeira, Antonio L.

AU - Sniehotta, Falko F.

AU - Horgan, Graham

AU - Larsen, Sofus C.

AU - Marques, Marta M.

AU - Evans, Elizabeth H.

AU - Ermes, Miikka

AU - Harjumaa, Marja

AU - Turicchi, Jake

AU - O'Driscoll, Ruari

AU - Scott, Sarah E.

AU - Pearson, Beth

AU - Ramsey, Lauren

AU - Mattila, Elina

AU - Matos, Marcela

AU - Sacher, Paul

AU - Woodward, Euan

AU - Mikkelsen, Marie-Louise

AU - Sainsbury, Kirby

AU - Santos, Ines

AU - Encantado, Jorge

AU - Stalker, Carol

AU - Teixeira, Pedro J.

AU - Heitmann, Berit Lilienthal

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Effective interventions and commercial programmes for weight loss (WL) are widely available, but most people regain weight. Few effective WL maintenance (WLM) solutions exist. The most promising evidence-based behaviour change techniques for WLM are self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning and control, building self-efficacy, and techniques that promote autonomous motivation (e.g., provide choice). Stress management and emotion regulation techniques show potential for prevention of relapse and weight regain. Digital technologies (including networked-wireless tracking technologies, online tools and smartphone apps, multimedia resources, and internet-based support) offer attractive tools for teaching and supporting long-term behaviour change techniques. However, many digital offerings for weight management tend not to include evidence-based content and the evidence base is still limited. The Project: First, the project examined why, when, and how many European citizens make WL and WLM attempts and how successful they are. Second, the project employed the most up-to-date behavioural science research to develop a digital toolkit for WLM based on 2 key conditions, i.e., self-management (self-regulation and motivation) of behaviour and self-management of emotional responses for WLM. Then, the NoHoW trial tested the efficacy of this digital toolkit in adults who achieved clinically significant (>= 5%) WL in the previous 12 months (initial BMI >= 25). The primary outcome was change in weight (kg) at 12 months from baseline. Secondary outcomes included biological, psychological, and behavioural moderators and mediators of long-term energy balance (EB) behaviours, and user experience, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Impact: The project will directly feed results from studies on European consumer behaviour, design and evaluation of digital toolkits self-management of EB behaviours into development of new products and services for WLM and digital health. The project has developed a framework and digital architecture for interventions in the context of EB tracking and will generate results that will help inform the next generation of personalised interventions for effective self-management of weight and health. (c) 2021 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel

AB - Background: Effective interventions and commercial programmes for weight loss (WL) are widely available, but most people regain weight. Few effective WL maintenance (WLM) solutions exist. The most promising evidence-based behaviour change techniques for WLM are self-monitoring, goal setting, action planning and control, building self-efficacy, and techniques that promote autonomous motivation (e.g., provide choice). Stress management and emotion regulation techniques show potential for prevention of relapse and weight regain. Digital technologies (including networked-wireless tracking technologies, online tools and smartphone apps, multimedia resources, and internet-based support) offer attractive tools for teaching and supporting long-term behaviour change techniques. However, many digital offerings for weight management tend not to include evidence-based content and the evidence base is still limited. The Project: First, the project examined why, when, and how many European citizens make WL and WLM attempts and how successful they are. Second, the project employed the most up-to-date behavioural science research to develop a digital toolkit for WLM based on 2 key conditions, i.e., self-management (self-regulation and motivation) of behaviour and self-management of emotional responses for WLM. Then, the NoHoW trial tested the efficacy of this digital toolkit in adults who achieved clinically significant (>= 5%) WL in the previous 12 months (initial BMI >= 25). The primary outcome was change in weight (kg) at 12 months from baseline. Secondary outcomes included biological, psychological, and behavioural moderators and mediators of long-term energy balance (EB) behaviours, and user experience, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness. Impact: The project will directly feed results from studies on European consumer behaviour, design and evaluation of digital toolkits self-management of EB behaviours into development of new products and services for WLM and digital health. The project has developed a framework and digital architecture for interventions in the context of EB tracking and will generate results that will help inform the next generation of personalised interventions for effective self-management of weight and health. (c) 2021 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel

KW - Emotion regulation

KW - Information and communication technologies

KW - Motivation

KW - Obesity

KW - Self-regulation

KW - Weight loss maintenance

KW - BEHAVIOR-CHANGE

KW - ECONOMIC BURDEN

KW - LOSS PROGRAMS

KW - OBESITY

KW - ADULTS

KW - HEALTH

KW - MASS

U2 - 10.1159/000515663

DO - 10.1159/000515663

M3 - Editorial

C2 - 33915534

VL - 14

SP - 320

EP - 333

JO - Obesity Facts

JF - Obesity Facts

SN - 1662-4025

ER -