Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34412727›Full record

SynthesisPublic health nutrition2021

A systematic review of the use of dietary self-monitoring in behavioural weight loss interventions: delivery, intensity and effectiveness.

Margaret Raber, Yue Liao, Anne Rara, Susan M Schembre, Kate J Krause, Larkin Strong, Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, Karen Basen-Engquist

Open access · bronzeAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Public health nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
32citing papers in PubMed, 4 pooled it
6.4field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

32 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Enhancing Postsecondary Students' Dietary Behaviours: A Systematic Review of Mobile Health Interventions.Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association · 2025
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Trial
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Review
  12. Adherence to Behavioral Weight Management: A Scoping Review of Definitions, Measurement, and Components.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Article
  13. Observational
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Review
  17. Article
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Margaret RaberDepartment of Behavioral Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1100 Bates Ave, Houston, TX77030, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-2403-9607
Yue LiaoDepartment of Behavioral Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1100 Bates Ave, Houston, TX77030, USA.
Anne RaraDepartment of Behavioral Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1100 Bates Ave, Houston, TX77030, USA.
Susan M SchembreDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine-Tucson, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Kate J KrauseResearch Medical Library, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Larkin StrongDepartment of Health Disparities, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Carrie Daniel-MacDougallDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
Karen Basen-EngquistDepartment of Behavioral Science, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1100 Bates Ave, Houston, TX77030, USA.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center · USUniversity of Arizona · US

Funding

Tumor Evolution and Metastasis ProgramP30CA016672 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI Scott Kopetz · 1985 to 2026
$290.8M
UIC CANCER PREVENTION &CONTROL RESEARCH TRAINING GRANTR25CA057699 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO · PI FITZGIBBON, MARIAN L. · 1992 to 2017
$8.2M
NCI NIH HHS P30 CA016672NCI NIH HHS R25 CA057699
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo identify dietary self-monitoring implementation strategies in behavioural weight loss interventions.

designWe conducted a systematic review of eight databases and examined fifty-nine weight loss intervention studies targeting adults with overweight/obesity that used dietary self-monitoring.

settingNA.

participantsNA.

resultsWe identified self-monitoring implementation characteristics, effectiveness of interventions in supporting weight loss and examined weight loss outcomes among higher and lower intensity dietary self-monitoring protocols. Included studies utilised diverse self-monitoring formats (paper, website, mobile app, phone) and intensity levels (recording all intake or only certain aspects of diet). We found the majority of studies using high- and low-intensity self-monitoring strategies demonstrated statistically significant weight loss in intervention groups compared with control groups.

conclusionsBased on our findings, lower and higher intensity dietary self-monitoring may support weight loss, but variability in adherence measures and limited analysis of weight loss relative to self-monitoring usage limits our understanding of how these methods compare with each other.

Indexed as

Mobile ApplicationsWeight LossAdultDietHumansObesityOverweightBehavioural interventionSelf-monitoringWeight loss

Identifiers

PMID34412727
PMCPMC8928602
OpenAlexW3196174412

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.