Evaluating a planner to aid a community weight management programme

ISRCTN ISRCTN75407376
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN75407376
Secondary identifying numbers N/A
Submission date
13/12/2013
Registration date
07/01/2014
Last edited
17/01/2019
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Reducing death and diseases associated with being overweight is a crucial public health goal. The aim of this study is to test the how well a very brief psychological intervention [a type of planner called a volitional help sheet (VHS)] helps to boost the effects of a community weight management programme and produce additional weight loss in a group of overweight and obese people. The VHS helps people act on their good intentions through the formation of simple IF-THEN plans that encourage a link between a critical situation (i.e., when tempted to eat) and an appropriate response (e.g., “then I will remove things from my home that remind me of eating”). The VHS has been used successfully to promote a range of health activities; this study will find out if using a booster after the initial VHS will further improve weight management.

Who can participate?
Adult men and women currently participating in a community-based weight management programme run by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust will be invited to participate.

What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly allocated to either complete a VHS planner or to another planner that acts as a comparison (i.e., control) at the start of their weight management programme. After 5 weeks they will be randomly allocated for the second time to either the VHS planner or the comparison planner. Thoughts and feelings about eating and weight management, source of motivation and weight will be measured at 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after starting the programme.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants who complete a VHS may benefit from their participation by losing more weight than if they took part in the weight management programme alone. There are no risks to taking part in the study.

Where is the study run from?
The weight management programmes from which participants will be recruited are held in health centres, community centres and work places in the Bolton area, Greater Manchester, UK.

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to last?
July 2014 to September 2017

Who is funding the study?
The study is funded by the University of Manchester, UK.

Who is the main contact?
Dr Tracy Epton
0161 2751972
epton.tracy@gmail.com

Contact information

Prof Chris Armitage
Scientific

Manchester Centre for Health Psychology
School of Psychological Sciences
University of Manchester
Coupland Street
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)161 275 2556
Email chris.armitage@manchester.ac.uk

Study information

Study designRandomised controlled trial with the between-persons factor of condition with four levels
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Other
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleA randomised controlled trial to evaluate the weight loss volitional help sheet in an overweight and obese population attending a community-based weight management programme
Study objectivesThe main hypotheses are that:
1. at Week 5 the group (i) (completed VHS planner at start and halfway through programme) and group (ii) (VHS planner at start of programme and comparison planner halfway through the programme) will have greater weight loss than the other two conditions.
2. at Week 10 group (i) will have greater weight loss than the other 3 conditions
3. at Week 10 the group (ii) and group (iii) (comparison planner at start of the programme and VHS planner halfway through the programme) will have greater weight loss than group (iv), the control group (comparison planner at start and halfway through programme)
Ethics approval(s)NRES Committee North West – Greater Manchester West, 16/01/2014, ref: 13/NW/0888
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedA psychological health intervention on an overweight and obese population
InterventionParticipants will be randomised to two groups: volitional help sheet (VHS) planner and a comparison planner (control). After five weeks, they will again be randomised to the above two groups. The four study arms are:
1. VHS planner at the start and halfway through the programme
2. VHS planner at the start of the programme and comparison planner halfway through the programme
3. Comparison planner at the start of the programme and VHS planner halfway through the programme
4. Comparison planner at the start and halfway through the programme (control)
Intervention typeOther
Primary outcome measureWeight loss at the end of the weight management programme (objectively measured weight)
Secondary outcome measuresCurrent:
1. Self-regulation strategies used at T2 and T3 (action control scale from Sniehotta et al., 2005)
2. Eating habit scale at T2 and T3 (Self-reported habit index adapted from Verplanken & Orbell, 2003)
3. Situations experienced and strategies used at T3 (self-report questionnaire from Armitage, 2013)

Weight loss and waist circumference measured at 3 months after the start of the programme.

Previous:
1. Weight loss and waist circumference at five weeks (T2) into the weight management programme (objectively measured)
2. Intentions to lose weight measured using a two-item questionnaire from Armitage, 2013 at T2 and T3 (at the end of the weight management programme)
3. Weight loss self-efficacy at T2 and T3 (a four-item questionnaire from Armitage, 2013)
4. Self-regulation strategies used at T2 and T3 (action control scale from Sniehotta et al., 2005)
5. Eating habit scale at T2 and T3 (Self-reported habit index adapted from Verplanken & Orbell, 2003)
6. Source of motivation for weight loss at T2 and T3 (weight loss treatment self-regulation questionnaire; Williams et al., 2013)
7. Situations experienced and strategies used at T3 (self-report questionnaire from Armitage, 2013)

Weight loss and waist circumference measured at 3, 6 and 12 months after the start of the programme.
Overall study start date01/07/2014
Completion date31/03/2018

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants179
Key inclusion criteria1. Adult
2. Able to understand written and verbal English
3. Competent to provide informed consent
4. Attending a community-based weight management programme run by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Key exclusion criteria1. Unable to understand written and verbal English
2. Not competent to provide informed consent
Date of first enrolment01/07/2014
Date of final enrolment30/09/2016

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Manchester Centre for Health Psychology
Manchester
M13 9PL
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Manchester (UK)
University/education

c/o Nalin Thakker
Oxford Road
Manchester
M13 9PL
England
United Kingdom

ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/027m9bs27

Funders

Funder type

University/education

University of Manchester (UK) - Manchester Centre for Health Psychology

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryNot expected to be made available
Publication and dissemination planTo be confirmed at a later date
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Basic results 17/01/2019 17/01/2019 No No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No

Additional files

ISRCTN75407376_BasicResults_17Jan19.pdf
Uploaded 17/01/2019

Editorial Notes

17/01/2019: The basic results of this trial have been uploaded as an additional file
15/01/2019: The following changes have been made to the trial record:
1. The overall trial end date has been changed from 30/09/2017 to 31/03/2018.
2. The secondary outcome measures have been changed.
31/08/2017: Overall trial end date has been updated from 30/09/2016 to 30/09/2017.
On 10/03/2016 the following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The overall trial start date was changed from 06/01/2014 to 01/07/2014.
2. The overall trial end date was changed from 06/05/2015 to 30/09/2016.