Mueller, J, Richards, R, Jones, RA et al. (10 more authors) (2023) Supporting Weight Management during COVID-19 (SWiM-C): twelve-month follow-up of a randomised controlled trial of a web-based, ACT-based, guided self-help intervention. International Journal of Obesity, 47. pp. 51-59. ISSN 0307-0565
Abstract
Objectives
We developed a guided self-help intervention (Supporting Weight Management during COVID-19, “SWiM-C”) to support adults with overweight or obesity in their weight management during the COVID-19 pandemic. This parallel, two-group trial (ISRCTN12107048) evaluated the effect of SWiM-C on weight and determinants of weight management over twelve months.
Methods
Participants (≥18 years, body-mass-index ≥25 kg/m2) were randomised to the SWiM-C intervention or to a standard advice group (unblinded). Participants completed online questionnaires at baseline, four months, and twelve months. The primary outcome was change in self-reported weight from baseline to twelve months; secondary outcomes were eating behaviour (uncontrolled eating, emotional eating, cognitive restraint of food intake), experiential avoidance, depression, anxiety, stress, wellbeing and physical activity.
Interventions
SWiM-C is based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Participants had access to an online web platform with 12 weekly modules and email and telephone contact with a trained, non-specialist coach. Standard advice was a leaflet on managing weight and mood during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results
388 participants were randomised (SWiM-C: n = 192, standard advice: n = 196). The baseline-adjusted difference in weight change between SWiM-C (n = 119) and standard advice (n = 147) was −0.81 kg (95% CI: −2.24 to 0.61 kg). SWiM-C participants reported a reduction in experiential avoidance (−2.45 [scale:10–70], 95% CI: −4.75 to −0.15), uncontrolled eating (−3.36 [scale: 0–100], 95% CI: −5.66 to −1.06), and emotional eating (−4.14 [scale:0–100], 95% CI: −7.25 to −1.02) and an increase in physical activity (8.96 [MET-min/week], 95% CI: 0.29 to 17.62) compared to standard advice participants. We found no evidence of an effect on remaining outcomes. No adverse events/side effects were reported.
Conclusions
Whilst we were unable to conclude that the intervention had an effect on weight, SWiM-C improved eating behaviours, experiential avoidance and physical activity. Further refinement of the intervention is necessary to ensure meaningful effects on weight prior to implementation in practice.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s) 2022. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Health Sciences (Leeds) > Academic Unit of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NIHR National Inst Health Research RG85078_14718 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 07 Mar 2023 14:54 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jun 2023 23:16 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Nature |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41366-022-01232-x |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:197063 |