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Using Social Incentives and Gamification for Weight Loss Promotion

NCT ID: NCT02564445

Last Updated: 2016-12-21

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE3

Total Enrollment

196 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2016-01-31

Study Completion Date

2016-12-31

Brief Summary

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This is a 36-week, three-arm randomized, controlled trial using a team-based model to compare two weight loss programs to control. Each intervention will use insights from behavioral economics to leverage social incentives and gamification.

Detailed Description

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Obesity is a leading risk factor for morbidity and mortality affecting more than one in three adults in the United States. Modifiable health behaviors contribute to this growing epidemic. Insights from behavioral economics have shown promise for motivating behavior change through the use of financial incentives. However, social incentives or those influences that impact individuals to adjust their inherent behaviors based on social ties and connections have not been well examined. Social incentives are a more patient-centered approach that leverages and enhances the existing connections and influences on the individual. Since one individual's behavior change is connected to many others within their network, social incentives have the potential to be a scalable intervention that impacts the community. Gamification, or the use of game design in non-game situations, is often used in the real world, but its effectiveness is unknown. In this study, investigators will conduct a 36-week, three-arm, randomized, controlled trial using a team-based model to compare two weight loss programs to control. Each intervention will use insights from behavioral economics to leverage social incentives and gamification.

Conditions

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Weight Loss Obesity Physical Activity

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Investigators

Study Groups

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Control

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts.

They will be given information on the federal and CDC guidelines for physical activity and will also be told that they should strive to achieve 10,000 steps per day to help promote weight loss.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Feedback on weight

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a wireless weight scale to weigh-in at home and receive feedback on weight.

Feedback on step counts

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a smartphone application that uses accelerometers within the phone to track step counts and receive feedback on step counts

Gamification

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts.

All participants play a game with their teammate that includes points, levels and the opportunity to win a trophy, plaque or medal. They will advance or not advance based on their progress with weight loss and physical activity through 24 weeks. During the 12-week follow-up they'll be asked to maintain or make progress toward their weight loss goal.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Gamification

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

All participants will be entered with their teammate into a game that includes points and levels

Feedback on weight

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a wireless weight scale to weigh-in at home and receive feedback on weight.

Feedback on step counts

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a smartphone application that uses accelerometers within the phone to track step counts and receive feedback on step counts

Gamification + Share Data with PCP

Participants choose a weight loss goal of 6-8% of baseline weight and given access to a wireless weight scale and smartphone application activity tracker to receive feedback on weight and feedback on step counts.

Participants will be asked to allow the study team to share their weight and step data with their primary care physician (PCP).

All participants play a game with their teammate that includes points, levels and the opportunity to win a trophy, plaque or medal. They will advance or not advance based on their progress with weight loss and physical activity through 24 weeks. During the 12-week follow-up they'll be asked to maintain or make progress toward their weight loss goal.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Gamification

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

All participants will be entered with their teammate into a game that includes points and levels

Share Data with PCP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Weight and step count data will be shared with the participant's primary care physician

Feedback on weight

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a wireless weight scale to weigh-in at home and receive feedback on weight.

Feedback on step counts

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Participants will use a smartphone application that uses accelerometers within the phone to track step counts and receive feedback on step counts

Interventions

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Gamification

All participants will be entered with their teammate into a game that includes points and levels

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Share Data with PCP

Weight and step count data will be shared with the participant's primary care physician

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Feedback on weight

Participants will use a wireless weight scale to weigh-in at home and receive feedback on weight.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Feedback on step counts

Participants will use a smartphone application that uses accelerometers within the phone to track step counts and receive feedback on step counts

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 18 to 70 years
* Ability to read and provide informed consent
* Has an iPhone 4 or newer
* Have self-reported body mass index of 30 or greater and in-person body mass index of 28 or greater

Exclusion Criteria

* Conditions that would make participation infeasible such as inability to provide informed consent, illiteracy or inability to speak, read, and write English
* Conditions that would make participation unsafe such as current treatment for drug or alcohol use, myocardial infarction or stroke within the last 6 months, metastatic cancer, pregnant, breastfeeding or plan to become pregnant during study period, previous diagnosis of an eating disorder, or history of unsafe weight loss practices
* Already enrolled in another weight loss study
* Any other medical conditions or reasons that they could not complete a 36-week weight loss program
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

70 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of Pennsylvania

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Mitesh Patel, MD, MBA, MS

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Pennsylvania

Other Identifiers

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823326

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id