Daily Self-Weighing for Obesity

Overseen By Carolyn Bramante, MD

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Minnesota

Disqualifiers: Eating disorders, Anxiety, Depression, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 5

Duration: 12 weeks

99 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how daily self-weighing can help young people manage obesity. Participants will receive standard care, and some will weigh themselves daily using either a simple scale or a smart scale connected to their health records. The researchers aim to determine which method most effectively boosts teens' confidence in managing their weight. Teens aged 12 to under 18 years with obesity (BMI at or above the 95th percentile) are eligible if they do not have certain health issues, such as severe anxiety or unhealthy weight control habits. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance weight management strategies for young people.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that daily self-weighing does not cause negative feelings or mental health issues. In fact, individuals who weigh themselves daily tend to lose more weight without experiencing psychological harm. Thus, daily self-weighing is a safe method for managing weight. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how daily self-weighing might improve obesity management, especially for young people. Unlike traditional methods that rely mainly on dietary changes and exercise plans, this approach uses technology to help individuals stay engaged with their weight management goals. The use of a smart scale connected to the Electronic Health Record (EHR) is particularly intriguing, as it allows healthcare providers to monitor progress remotely and provide timely feedback. This could make weight management more personalized and potentially more effective, offering new insights into how technology can enhance traditional care practices.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for obesity?

Research has shown that daily self-weighing can aid in weight management. People who weigh themselves every day tend to lose more weight than those who do so less frequently. For example, one study found that over 40% of individuals who weighed themselves daily lost at least 5% of their body weight. In this trial, participants in the "Simple Scale" group will be encouraged to weigh themselves daily using a basic scale, while those in the "EHR-Connected Scale" group will use a smart scale linked to an Electronic Health Record (EHR). This connection may enhance effectiveness by providing useful feedback and support. This method can help track progress and adjust eating and exercise habits as needed. Overall, daily weighing, with or without a connected scale, appears to be a practical tool for managing obesity. ^{1 5 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Carolyn Bramante, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Minnesota

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adolescents aged 12 to under 18 who are dealing with obesity, defined as having a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. It's not clear what conditions exclude someone from participating.

Inclusion Criteria

You have a BMI in the highest 5% for your age and height.

I am between 12 and 17 years old.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants are randomized to one of three interventions: Usual Care, Usual Care plus advice to weigh daily on a simple scale, or Usual Care plus advice to weigh daily on an EHR-connected scale. Survey data collected at baseline, 2, 4, 6, and 12 weeks.

12 weeks

5 visits (in-person or virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment, including qualitative interviews at 12 weeks to assess acceptability, safety, self-efficacy, and BMI.

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Self-Weighing

Trial Overview

The study is testing three approaches in treating adolescent obesity: usual care alone, usual care with daily self-weighing using a simple scale, and usual care plus daily weighing on an EHR-connected scale. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of these groups.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Standard Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Individuals in this arm will receive standard care for their obesity in the Pediatric Weight Management Clinic

Group II: Simple Scale Active Control 1 Intervention

Individuals in this arm will receive standard care for their obesity in the Pediatric Weight Management Clinic and will be encouraged to self-weigh daily utilizing a simple scale.

Group III: EHR-Connected Scale Active Control 1 Intervention

Individuals in this arm will receive standard care for their obesity in the Pediatric Weight Management Clinic and will be encouraged to self-weigh daily utilizing a Smart scale that is connected to the Electronic Health Record (EHR).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Minnesota

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,459

Recruited

1,623,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Daily self-weighing was found to be a motivating factor for individuals who successfully lost weight during a 12-month intervention, with participants feeling more in control of their weight management.

The study identified both positive aspects and barriers to daily weighing, suggesting that understanding these factors can help improve adherence to self-weighing as a weight loss strategy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experiences of Daily Weighing Among Successful Weight Loss Individuals During a 12-Month Weight Loss Study. Zheng, Y., Terry, MA., Danford, CA., et al.[2018]

In a 12-week weight loss intervention involving 100 participants, those who consistently self-monitored their diet and weight using the MyFitnessPal app lost significantly more weight compared to those who did not track consistently, with an average difference of 2.42 kg at 3 months.

Consistent trackers (tracking at least 6 out of 7 days for 75% of the weeks) were over three times more likely to achieve a weight loss of 5% or more at 3 and 6 months, highlighting the importance of regular self-monitoring in successful weight loss efforts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Consistent self-monitoring in a commercial app-based intervention for weight loss: results from a randomized trial. Patel, ML., Brooks, TL., Bennett, GG.[2021]

In a study of 294 young women over 2 years, daily self-weighing was linked to significant reductions in both BMI and body fat percentage, suggesting it may help in weight maintenance.

The findings indicate that incorporating daily self-weighing could be a valuable strategy for preventing unwanted weight gain, although further research is needed to establish a causal relationship.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Daily self-weighing and weight gain prevention: a longitudinal study of college-aged women. Rosenbaum, DL., Espel, HM., Butryn, ML., et al.[2018]

Only 35% of primary care patients with overweight or obesity self-weigh weekly, and less than 23% do so daily, indicating a need for increased awareness of self-weighing as a tool for weight management.

Patients who self-weighed daily had a lower average BMI (29 kg/m²) compared to those who did not (31 kg/m²), suggesting that regular self-weighing may help in preventing obesity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Understanding Primary Care Patients' Self-weighing Habits: Cohort Analysis from the PaTH Clinical Data Research Network. Bramante, CT., McTigue, KM., Lehmann, HP., et al.[2020]

In a study of 60 overweight adults, those who self-weighed twice a day lost significantly more weight (2.7 kg) compared to those who weighed themselves once a day (1.0 kg) over 12 weeks.

Participants who weighed themselves twice daily were also more likely to achieve a weight loss of 5% or more, with 28.6% reaching this goal compared to only 3.6% in the once-daily group, highlighting the effectiveness of more frequent self-monitoring combined with daily target setting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of weight-loss program using self-weighing twice a day and feedback in overweight and obese subject: a randomized controlled trial. Oshima, Y., Matsuoka, Y., Sakane, N.[2022]

A study involving 74 adults in a 12-week weight management program found that self-reported weights closely matched objective measurements from a smart scale, indicating that self-reporting can be a reliable method for tracking weight.

However, the frequency of self-weighing was only moderately agreed upon between methods, and missing self-weighing data could lead to underestimations of actual weight, suggesting that consistent tracking is crucial for accurate weight management.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Accuracy of Self-Report Versus Objective Smart-Scale Weights During a 12-Week Weight Management Intervention. Ross, KM., Eastman, A., Wing, RR.[2022]

A 6-month weight loss intervention using daily self-weighing with a smart scale led to significant weight loss in 91 overweight adults, with the intervention group losing an average of 6.55% of their body weight compared to only 0.35% in the control group.

The intervention group not only lost more weight but also self-weighed more frequently (6.1 days/week vs. 1.1 days/week) and consumed fewer calories, indicating that daily self-monitoring can effectively support weight loss efforts.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The efficacy of a daily self-weighing weight loss intervention using smart scales and e-mail. Steinberg, DM., Tate, DF., Bennett, GG., et al.[2022]

In a 24-month randomized controlled trial involving a behavioral weight-loss program, self-reported weighing frequency showed an 80.8% agreement with objective measurements at 12 months, but this dropped to 48.5% by 24 months, indicating that participants tended to overreport their weighing frequency over time.

Both self-reported and objective weighing frequencies were significantly associated with weight loss at both 12 and 24 months, suggesting that regular self-monitoring through weighing can be beneficial for weight management, but objective measures are more reliable.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How Accurate are Recalls of Self-Weighing Frequency? Data from a 24-Month Randomized Trial. Crane, MM., Gavin, K., Wolfson, J., et al.[2020]

In a study of 74 adults with overweight and obesity over 12 weeks, it was found that daily self-weighing is an effective strategy for weight loss, with high adherence rates of 87% for weighing and 85% for caloric intake.

The research revealed that increased caloric intake on one day significantly raised the likelihood of not self-weighing the next day, suggesting that weight management programs should offer additional support to participants who overeat to maintain adherence to self-monitoring.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overeat today, skip the scale tomorrow: An examination of caloric intake predicting nonadherence to daily self-weighing. Tanenbaum, ML., Ross, KM., Wing, RR.[2018]

Daily self-weighing, especially when combined with personalized electronic feedback, has been shown to effectively support weight loss and prevent age-related weight gain, according to recent studies.

While earlier research suggested that frequent self-weighing might lead to negative psychological effects, newer studies do not support this idea, indicating that self-weighing can be a beneficial strategy for weight management in certain adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Daily Self-Weighing to Control Body Weight in Adults: A Critical Review of the Literature. Pacanowski, CR., Bertz, FC., Levitsky, DA.[2020]

Self-reported weights in a weight loss trial showed increasing underestimation over time, with an average difference of -0.5 kg at 6 months and -1.1 kg at 24 months, indicating that participants were less accurate in reporting their weights as the study progressed.

Participants who accurately reported their weights were more likely to achieve the weight loss goal, with a 9% misclassification rate in achieving the 5% weight loss goal when using self-reported weights compared to clinic measurements.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Longitudinal accuracy of web-based self-reported weights: results from the Hopkins POWER Trial. Jerome, GJ., Dalcin, A., Coughlin, JW., et al.[2022]

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