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Pounds Off Digitally (POD): The Use of Podcasting and Mobile Media to Promote Weight Loss

This study has been completed.
Sponsor:
Information provided by:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
NCT01139255
First received: June 4, 2010
Last updated: June 2, 2011
Last verified: June 2011
History of Changes
  Purpose

Overweight and obesity play a role in both cancer incidence and survival rates. Many people have found attending weight loss support groups to be time-intensive. Past research has shown electronic media, particularly the Web, to be effective in producing weight loss. The Web, however, lacks portability, which prevents people from accessing the information when it is convenient for them. Providing weight loss information via podcasting (audio files that may be listened to on portable audio players) may allow people to receive weight loss tips anywhere. A previous research study showed that podcasts emphasizing healthy eating and exercise can help people lose weight. This study was short-term and did not include additional social support. The purpose of this research project is to assess the effectiveness of a weight loss intervention delivered through podcasts as compared to the same podcast with added mobile media such as self-monitoring software (such as a pedometer) and support delivered via a social networking site. For this research study, the investigators will conduct a 6-month study in 104 overweight adults to determine if a podcast plus mobile media support leads to greater weight loss than a podcast alone.


Condition Intervention Phase
Obesity
Overweight
 Behavioral: Podcasting + mobile media
 Phase 1

Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Treatment
Official Title: The Use of Podcasting and Mobile Media to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Overweight Adults

Resource links provided by NLM:

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill:

Primary Outcome Measures:
  • Weight loss [ Time Frame: 6 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Enrollment: 96
Study Start Date: June 2010
Study Completion Date: February 2011
Primary Completion Date: February 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Arms Assigned Interventions
Experimental: Podcasting + mobile media Behavioral: Podcasting + mobile media
Use of a weight loss podcast designed with health behavior theory
Active Comparator: Podcasting Behavioral: Podcasting + mobile media
Use of a weight loss podcast designed with health behavior theory

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years to 60 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   Yes
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • be between the ages of 18-60 years old
  • be a non-smoker
  • live in the Chapel Hill, NC area
  • be able to attend monitoring visits at baseline, 3-months, and 6-months
  • have access to the Internet and a computer
  • have access to an Internet-capable mobile device (such as an iPhone, iPod Touch, or Blackberry) and an MP3 player (this may be the same device)
  • have access to a scale for self-monitoring weight
  • be willing to be randomized to either group
  • be free of psychiatric diseases, drug or alcohol dependency, or uncontrolled thyroid conditions
  • be free of major health conditions, such as heart conditions, diabetes, and past incidence of stroke
  • have MD consent for participation if currently on blood pressure medications, have issues with dizziness, or have bone or joint issues.
  • able to prepare all their own meals (i.e. not living on-campus)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • should not be pregnant, anticipating on becoming pregnant in the next 7 months, or currently breastfeeding
  • be free of an eating disorder as screened by the Eating disorder Screen for Primary care [ESP].
  • no current participation in a weight loss program or taking weight loss medications (although participants may be trying to lose weight on their own)
  • have not participated in previous podcasting weight loss research
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01139255

Locations
United States, North Carolina
UNC-Chapel Hill Weight Research Center
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States, 27599
Sponsors and Collaborators
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Brie Turner-McGrievy, PhD, MS, RD University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
  More Information

Additional Information:
Related Info  This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

No publications provided by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Additional publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):

Responsible Party: Brie Turner-McGrievy, UNC Chapel Hill
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01139255     History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers: 10-0930
Study First Received: June 4, 2010
Last Updated: June 2, 2011
Health Authority: United States: Institutional Review Board

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Obesity
Weight Loss
Overweight
Overnutrition
 Nutrition Disorders
Body Weight
Signs and Symptoms
Body Weight Changes

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on May 21, 2013