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Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction)

Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction)
Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction)
Background: Obesity is increasing and causes major health problems. Intensive expert counselling about diet and exercise works, but there is limited capacity to do this in general practice, where most people are managed.

Methods: People in the ‘control’ group were give brief written advice plus 6-monthly follow-ups with a practice nurse. This was compared with an internet-based intervention called Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR+) to help change eating and exercise habits. Nurse support for POWeR+ was either by face-to-face support (up to seven contacts) or remote support (up to five e-mails or brief telephone calls).

Results: A total of 818 people took part. The control group lost nearly 3 kg per person over 12 months. Compared with the control group, participants in the face-to-face POWeR+ group lost 1.5 kg more, averaged over 12 months, whereas those in the the remote group lost 1.3 kg more. By 12 months, mean weight loss was not significantly different between groups, but 20.8% of the control group, 29.2% of the face-to-face group and significantly more of the remote group (32.4%) had lost ≥ 5% of their original body weight, which is important to health. Costs to the NHS were lowest for the remote group, who were generally doing fewer other activities to lose weight and felt more enabled to manage their weight. Interviews confirmed that patients generally liked POWeR+ and health-care professionals liked supporting patients to use POWeR+.

Conclusion: Compared with brief advice and occasional brief nurse follow-up, using an internet-based programme (POWeR+) combined with brief support by a practice nurse results in more people achieving an important amount of weight loss, and is cost-effective.
1366-5278
1-61
Little, Paul
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Stuart, Beth
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Hobbs, F.D. Richard
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Kelly, Joanne
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Smith, Emily
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Bradbury, Katherine
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Hughes, Stephanie
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Smith, Peter
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Moore, Michael
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Lean, Mike E.J.
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Margetts, Barrie
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Byrne, Christopher
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Griffin, Simon
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Davoudianfar, Mina
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Hooper, Julie
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Yao, Guiqing
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Zhu, Shihua
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Raftery, James
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Yardley, Lucy
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Little, Paul
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Stuart, Beth
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Hobbs, F.D. Richard
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Kelly, Joanne
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Smith, Emily
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Bradbury, Katherine
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Hughes, Stephanie
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Smith, Peter
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Moore, Michael
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Lean, Mike E.J.
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Margetts, Barrie
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Byrne, Christopher
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Griffin, Simon
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Davoudianfar, Mina
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Hooper, Julie
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Yao, Guiqing
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Zhu, Shihua
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Raftery, James
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Yardley, Lucy
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Little, Paul, Stuart, Beth, Hobbs, F.D. Richard, Kelly, Joanne, Smith, Emily, Bradbury, Katherine, Hughes, Stephanie, Smith, Peter, Moore, Michael, Lean, Mike E.J., Margetts, Barrie, Byrne, Christopher, Griffin, Simon, Davoudianfar, Mina, Hooper, Julie, Yao, Guiqing, Zhu, Shihua, Raftery, James and Yardley, Lucy (2017) Randomised controlled trial and economic analysis of an internet-based weight management programme: POWeR+ (Positive Online Weight Reduction). Health Technology Assessment, 21 (4), 1-61. (doi:10.3310/hta21040).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background: Obesity is increasing and causes major health problems. Intensive expert counselling about diet and exercise works, but there is limited capacity to do this in general practice, where most people are managed.

Methods: People in the ‘control’ group were give brief written advice plus 6-monthly follow-ups with a practice nurse. This was compared with an internet-based intervention called Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR+) to help change eating and exercise habits. Nurse support for POWeR+ was either by face-to-face support (up to seven contacts) or remote support (up to five e-mails or brief telephone calls).

Results: A total of 818 people took part. The control group lost nearly 3 kg per person over 12 months. Compared with the control group, participants in the face-to-face POWeR+ group lost 1.5 kg more, averaged over 12 months, whereas those in the the remote group lost 1.3 kg more. By 12 months, mean weight loss was not significantly different between groups, but 20.8% of the control group, 29.2% of the face-to-face group and significantly more of the remote group (32.4%) had lost ≥ 5% of their original body weight, which is important to health. Costs to the NHS were lowest for the remote group, who were generally doing fewer other activities to lose weight and felt more enabled to manage their weight. Interviews confirmed that patients generally liked POWeR+ and health-care professionals liked supporting patients to use POWeR+.

Conclusion: Compared with brief advice and occasional brief nurse follow-up, using an internet-based programme (POWeR+) combined with brief support by a practice nurse results in more people achieving an important amount of weight loss, and is cost-effective.

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Accepted/In Press date: 1 April 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 1 January 2017
Published date: 1 January 2017
Organisations: Human Wellbeing, Statistical Sciences Research Institute, Research Design Services, Human Development & Health, FOS - Medicine, Psychology, Social Statistics & Demography, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Primary Care & Population Sciences, Faculty of Social, Human and Mathematical Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 406162
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/406162
ISSN: 1366-5278
PURE UUID: 823005bc-cc95-46a5-86ce-876d04905e8f
ORCID for Paul Little: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3664-1873
ORCID for Beth Stuart: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5432-7437
ORCID for Katherine Bradbury: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5513-7571
ORCID for Stephanie Hughes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4801-8245
ORCID for Peter Smith: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4423-5410
ORCID for Michael Moore: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5127-4509
ORCID for Christopher Byrne: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-6322-7753
ORCID for Lucy Yardley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3853-883X

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Date deposited: 10 Mar 2017 10:40
Last modified: 11 Jul 2024 01:50

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Contributors

Author: Paul Little ORCID iD
Author: Beth Stuart ORCID iD
Author: F.D. Richard Hobbs
Author: Joanne Kelly
Author: Emily Smith
Author: Peter Smith ORCID iD
Author: Michael Moore ORCID iD
Author: Mike E.J. Lean
Author: Barrie Margetts
Author: Simon Griffin
Author: Mina Davoudianfar
Author: Julie Hooper
Author: Guiqing Yao
Author: Shihua Zhu
Author: James Raftery
Author: Lucy Yardley ORCID iD

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