Trial reportObesity (Silver Spring, Md.)2017
Internet-delivered obesity treatment improves symptoms of and risk for depression.
Trial report in Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 4 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Digital Mental Health Interventions in Obesity Management: A Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Recommendations.Current obesity reports · 2026Pooled it
- What internet- and mobile-based interventions are currently available for adults with overweight or obesity experiencing symptoms of depression? A systematic review.International journal of obesity (2005) · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Depression and obesity among females, are sex specificities considered?Archives of women's mental health · 2021Pooled it
- Early Engagement is Associated with Better Weight Loss in Emerging Adults.American journal of health behavior · 2019Trial
- Digital Health in Obesity Care: Current Evidence, Challenges, and Future Directions.Current obesity reports · 2026Review
- Article
- Review
- Internet use and self-rated health among Chinese older adults: the role of social engagement and social support.Frontiers in public health · 2024Article
- The association between Metabolic Score for Visceral Fat and depression in overweight or obese individuals: evidence from NHANES.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2024Article
- Does Internet Use Impact the Health Status of Middle-Aged and Older Populations? Evidence from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Psychiatric Profiles of eHealth Users Evaluated Using Data Mining Techniques: Cohort Study.JMIR mental health · 2021Article
- Assessment of Use and Preferences Regarding Internet-Based Health Care Delivery: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveIn-person lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment yield significant improvements in depression. These improvements may be attributed to the excellent weight losses produced by in-person interventions. In contrast, Internet programs yield more modest weight losses, and their effect on depression is unknown. This study is the first to examine whether Internet-delivered obesity treatment impacts depressive symptoms.
methodsParticipants (N = 136) were randomized to either a community campaign plus Internet behavioral weight loss (IBWL) or community campaign alone (Control). IBWL did not include online social support components. A measure of depressive symptoms was administered, and weight was objectively assessed.
resultsOf the total sample, 24% met the clinical cutoff for elevated depression risk at baseline. IBWL participants lost more weight during treatment (P = 0.005) and experienced significantly greater improvements in depressive symptoms (P = 0.02). Among participants who met the clinical cutoff for elevated risk for depression at baseline, those assigned to IBWL had greater improvements in depressive symptoms during treatment compared to Control (P = 0.033). Consequently, at post-treatment, a smaller percentage of IBWL participants were at elevated risk for depression.
conclusionsThis study is the first to show that Internet-delivered obesity treatment improves depression risk and depressive symptoms in individuals with overweight or obesity.
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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.