Evaluation of a text supported weight maintenance programme ‘Lighten Up Plus’ following a weight reduction programme in the ‘Lighten Up’ service in Birmingham.

ISRCTN ISRCTN47845106
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN47845106
Secondary identifying numbers Lighten Up Plus- V1
Submission date
26/11/2012
Registration date
18/12/2012
Last edited
15/02/2016
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
We are carrying out a study to measure the effectiveness of a service that is designed to help people maintain their weight after attending a weight loss programme. Our aim is to understand how a SMS-text messaging based weight maintenance programme to encourage self-weighing compares to a brief telephone supported programme in terms of weight change after 3 and 9 months after the end of the 12 week weight-loss programme. The study’s findings should help to improve the future design of interventions for overweight people.

Who can participate?
Participants who have completed the 12-week Lighten Up weight management programme aged over 18.

What does the study involve?
All participants eligible for the study will have attended a 12 week weight loss programme. Participants will be randomised to receive weekly text (SMS) based support encouraging weight maintenance or standard care (telephone support post weight loss intervention and information about effective weight maintenance strategies). Participants receiving text based support will be requested to send weight measurements by text. Data will be collected at 3 and 9 months.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants in either treatment arm will receive support to help maintain their current weight. There are no known risks in taking part in this study.

Where is this study run from?
University of Birmingham in collaboration with Birmingham and Solihull NHS Cluster.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
Recruitment will begin in January 2013. Participants will be enrolled on the study for 9 months, and there will be a follow up period where intend to explore the attitudes of participants’ in relation to the support they received.

Who is funding the study?
Birmingham and Solihull NHS Cluster (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Mr Manbinder Sidhu
m.s.sidhu@bham.ac.uk

Contact information

Prof Kate Jolly
Scientific

University of Birmingham
Public Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics
School of Health and Population Sciences
College of Medical and Dental Sciences
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Email c.b.jolly@bham.ac.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised controlled trial with patients individually allocated to one of two weight maintenance programmes. Qualitative interviews will explore the experience of the intervention.
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeQuality of life
Participant information sheet Participant information sheets disseminated in this study are available, on request, from Professor Kate Jolly, c.b.jolly@bham.ac.uk.
Scientific titleEvaluation of a text supported weight maintenance programme ‘Lighten Up Plus’ following a weight reduction programme: a randomised controlled trial.
Study acronymLighten Up Plus
Study objectivesIt is hypothesised that participants receiving text (SMS) support will maintain their weight or gain less weight compared to those receiving standard care. The null hypothesis is that there will be no difference between treatment groups.
Ethics approval(s)South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee, 20/11/2012, ref: 12/WM/0372
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedTreatment for people who are overweight/obese
InterventionUsual care: Telephone support at end of free weight loss programme and at 3 months with ‘hints and tips’ leaflet about effective weight maintenance strategies;

Text intervention: usual care plus texts at weekly interventions. Texts will ask for the participant’s weight and will respond with one of three options:

1. Weight maintenance or weight loss from previous reported weight – congratulatory message and encouragement to keep up the good work;
2. Small gain for one or two weeks in succession – advice to be careful about diet and increase physical activity
3. Gain for three or more weeks in succession – offer of telephone support session

The initial support session will be with a member of the call centre staff who will remind them about their strategies for weight loss. If they continue to gain weight they can then be referred on to a health trainer.
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureDifference between baseline weight and independently measured weight at nine months following randomisation.
Secondary outcome measures1. Self-reported weight loss at 3 months following randomisation, which will be collected by the Lighten Up call centre by telephone (or questionnaire for people not-contactable by phone)
2. BMI at 9 months and percentage of people achieving 5% loss of body weight from the start of their Lighten Up programme.
Overall study start date01/01/2013
Completion date30/06/2014

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
Lower age limit18 Years
SexBoth
Target number of participants522 participants
Key inclusion criteria1. Aged ≥18
2. People who have a final (week 12) weight recorded or attended the Lighten Up weight management service for a minimum of 9 sessions and have had a weight measured within the past 2 weeks
3. Has access to scales to weigh self
4. Owns a phone (mobile or land-line).
Key exclusion criteria1. Unable to understand English
2. Women who are known to be pregnant
3. People who attended the My Choice pharmacy programme
4. Not willing to be randomised
5. People who have dropped out of the Lighten Up service prior to week 9
Date of first enrolment01/01/2013
Date of final enrolment30/06/2014

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

University of Birmingham
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

Birmingham and Solihull NHS Cluster (UK)
Hospital/treatment centre

Bartholomew House
142 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birminghm
B16 9PA
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.solihull.nhs.uk/About-us/Birmingham---Solihull-Cluster

Funders

Funder type

Hospital/treatment centre

Birmingham and Solihull NHS Cluster (UK)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination planNot provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 12/02/2016 Yes No

Editorial Notes

15/02/2016: Publication reference added.