ArticleTrials2024
An e-mental health intervention to reduce depression symptoms in individuals with obesity: study protocol for the randomized, controlled, two-armed, confirmatory LightMood trial.
Article in Trials, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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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.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- 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
- Exploring the Needs and Perspectives of Patients with Obesity to Inform Health Care Practice: A Focus Group Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPatients with obesity often experience psychological distress, specifically depression symptoms. Due to various barriers, such as limitations of healthcare offers, digital interventions, for example medical apps, can provide a suitable approach to support affected people. In the envisaged prospective randomized controlled trial, we aim to examine the efficacy of the LightMood intervention. The LightMood intervention is a manualized and user-centered, digital intervention for patients with obesity, with a duration of 4 months, which contains elements of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based and skills-based exercises. We expect the LightMood intervention to be superior to treatment as usual (TAU) in terms of reducing depression symptoms.
methodsThe trial incorporates four distinct measurement time points: the baseline assessment, the post-treatment assessment, and 1- and 3-month follow-up assessments. Furthermore, we implemented in-treatment assessments for both groups. Participants will be randomized into two groups (LightMood intervention vs TAU). The aim is to include 128 participants (64 per group) in the study. Inclusion criteria are patients who are obese, at least 18 years old, with a private Internet access, and with adequate digital literacy and show depression symptoms (PHQ ≥ 10). Exclusion criteria are weekly outpatient individual psychotherapy, obesity surgery within the last year or planned within the next 7 months, no private Internet access, and the prescription of a new psychotropic drug within the last 2 weeks. The primary outcome is the post-assessment reduction in depression symptoms. Secondary outcomes will include the improvement in self-efficacy, quality of life, mindfulness, reduction in eating disorder symptoms, and body mass index (BMI). Furthermore, we expect a positive development of depression symptoms throughout the different time points (T1, T2, and T3) in patients with obesity. DISCUSSION: LightMood is an evidence-based, efficient, low-threshold online intervention that aims to reduce depression symptoms in people with obesity. Online interventions could offer a promising alternative to conventional face-to-face therapy. The primary objective of the current study is to add essential insight into the feasibility, efficacy, effectiveness, and acceptance of e-mental health interventions for people with obesity and depression symptoms.
trial registrationGerman Clinical Trial Register (DRKS), DRKS00029219. Registered on May 19, 2023.
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