Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2012
A 12-week commercial web-based weight-loss program for overweight and obese adults: randomized controlled trial comparing basic versus enhanced features.
Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03435445 (Use of Web as a Tool to Promote Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults), which is not on this map. Cited by 55 papers, 17 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Use of Web as a Tool to Promote Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults
Who cites it
55 citing papers in PubMed, 17 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 108 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Stand-Alone Digital Lifestyle Interventions on Weight-Related Outcomes in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Pooled it
- Weight Loss in Short-Term Interventions for Physical Activity and Nutrition Among Adults With Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Preventing chronic disease · 2024Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Strategies to Improve User Engagement With Digital Health Interventions Targeting Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Overweight and Obesity: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2023Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Physical Activity-Promoting Web- and Mobile-Based Distance Weight Loss Interventions on Body Composition in Rehabilitation Settings: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-Regression Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- A systematic review of the use of dietary self-monitoring in behavioural weight loss interventions: delivery, intensity and effectiveness.Public health nutrition · 2021Pooled it
- Web-Based Digital Health Interventions for Weight Loss and Lifestyle Habit Changes in Overweight and Obese Adults: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Pooled it
- Just-in-Time Feedback in Diet and Physical Activity Interventions: Systematic Review and Practical Design Framework.Journal of medical Internet research · 2018Pooled it
- Peer-Based Social Media Features in Behavior Change Interventions: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2018Pooled it
- Internet-Delivered Health Interventions That Work: Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses and Evaluation of Website Availability.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Pooled it
- A systematic review of commercial weight loss programmes' effect on glycemic outcomes among overweight and obese adults with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2016Pooled it
- Increased Eating Frequency Is Associated with Lower Obesity Risk, But Higher Energy Intake in Adults: A Meta-Analysis.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2016Pooled it
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of internet-delivered interventions providing personalized feedback for weight loss in overweight and obese adults.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2016Pooled it
- Is self-weighing an effective tool for weight loss: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2015Pooled it
- Evaluation of Internet-Based Interventions on Waist Circumference Reduction: A Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2015Pooled it
- Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: an updated systematic review.Annals of internal medicine · 2015Pooled it
- A Systematic Review Exploring the Social Cognitive Theory of Self-Regulation as a Framework for Chronic Health Condition Interventions.PloS one · 2015Pooled it
- Technology-assisted weight management interventions: systematic review of clinical trials.Telemedicine journal and e-health : the official journal of the American Telemedicine Association · 2014Pooled it
- Effects of a 12-Week Web-Based Weight Loss Program for Adults With Overweight and Obesity on COVIDAge and Lifestyle-Related Cardiometabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Frontiers in public health · 2022Trial
- Feasibility and potential efficacy of commercial mHealth/eHealth tools for weight loss in African American breast cancer survivors: pilot randomized controlled trial.Translational behavioral medicine · 2020Trial
- A novel prescription pedometer-assisted walking intervention and weight management for Chinese occupational population.PloS one · 2018Trial
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe development and use of Web-based programs for weight loss is increasing rapidly, yet they have rarely been evaluated using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Interestingly, most people who attempt weight loss use commercially available programs, yet it is very uncommon for commercial programs to be evaluated independently or rigorously.
objectiveTo compare the efficacy of a standard commercial Web-based weight-loss program (basic) versus an enhanced version of this Web program that provided additional personalized e-feedback and contact from the provider (enhanced) versus a wait-list control group (control) on weight outcomes in overweight and obese adults.
methodsThis purely Web-based trial using a closed online user group was an assessor-blinded RCT with participants randomly allocated to the basic or enhanced 12-week Web-based program, based on social cognitive theory, or the control, with body mass index (BMI) as the primary outcome.
resultsWe enrolled 309 adults (129/309, 41.8% male, BMI mean 32.3, SD 4 kg/m(2)) with 84.1% (260/309) retention at 12 weeks. Intention-to-treat analysis showed that both intervention groups reduced their BMI compared with the controls (basic: -0.72, SD 1.1 kg/m(2), enhanced: -1.0, SD 1.4, control: 0.15, SD 0.82; P < .001) and lost significant weight (basic: -2.1, SD 3.3 kg, enhanced: -3.0, SD 4.1, control: 0.4, SD 2.3; P < .001) with changes in waist circumference (basic: -2.0, SD 3.5 cm, enhanced: -3.2, SD 4.7, control: 0.5, SD 3.0; P < .001) and waist-to-height ratio (basic: -0.01, SD 0.02, enhanced: -0.02, SD 0.03, control: 0.0, SD 0.02; P < .001), but no differences were observed between the basic and enhanced groups. The addition of personalized e-feedback and contact provided limited additional benefits compared with the basic program.
conclusionsA commercial Web-based weight-loss program can be efficacious across a range of weight-related outcomes and lifestyle behaviors and achieve clinically important weight loss. Although the provision of additional personalized feedback did not facilitate greater weight loss after 12 weeks, the impact of superior participant retention on longer-term outcomes requires further study. Further research is required to determine the optimal mix of program features that lead to the biggest treatment impact over time.
trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): 12610000197033.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.