Design and Implementation of an Interactive Website to Support Long-Term Maintenance of Weight Loss

Abstract

Background For most individuals, long-term maintenance of weight loss requires long-term, supportive intervention. Internet-based weight loss maintenance programs offer considerable potential for meeting this need. Careful design processes are required to maximize adherence and minimize attrition.ObjectiveThis paper describes the development, implementation and use of a Web-based intervention program designed to help those who have recently lost weight sustain their weight loss over 1 year.MethodsThe weight loss maintenance website was developed over a 1-year period by an interdisciplinary team of public health researchers, behavior change intervention experts, applications developers, and interface designers. Key interactive features of the final site include social support, self-monitoring, written guidelines for diet and physical activity, links to appropriate websites, supportive tools for behavior change, check-in accountability, tailored reinforcement messages, and problem solving and relapse prevention training. The weight loss maintenance program included a reminder system (automated email and telephone messages) that prompted participants to return to the website if they missed their check-in date. If there was no log-in response to the email and telephone automated prompts, a staff member called the participant. We tracked the proportion of participants with at least one log-in per month, and analyzed log-ins as a result of automated prompts.ResultsThe mean age of the 348 participants enrolled in an ongoing randomized trial and assigned to use the website was 56 years; 63% were female, and 38% were African American. While weight loss data will not be available until mid-2008, website use remained high during the first year with over 80% of the participants still using the website during month 12. During the first 52 weeks, participants averaged 35 weeks with at least one log-in. Email and telephone prompts appear to be very effective at helping participants sustain ongoing website use.ConclusionsDeveloping interactive websites is expensive, complex, and time consuming. We found that extensive paper prototyping well in advance of programming and a versatile product manager who could work with project staff at all levels of detail were essential to keeping the development process efficient. Trial Registrationclinicaltrials.gov NCT00054925

A Review of Efficacious Technology-Based Weight-Loss Interventions: Five Key Components

“…20 This has been supported by recent findings indicating that consistent self-monitoring of exercise is associated with greater total weight loss, greater amount of exercise, and fewer difficulties with exercise. [21][22][23][24] In moving past traditional methods of self-monitoring such as paper-and-pen diaries, research has found that technology can simplify the monitoring process. 25 This can include recording one's progress of food intake and physical activity using online journaling, handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), and spreadsheets.…”

When staff handle Staph

“…Authors either claim to have employed a userdriven design approach without engaging real users in their study (Currim et al, 2006;Stevens et al, 2008;Tang et al, 2003;Thursky & Mahemoff, 2007) or do not consider the factors affecting adoption (Boulos, 2006;Ferney & Marshall, 2006;Fetters, 2004;Keulers et al, 2006;Scandurra et al, 2008). …”

Improving Social Connection Through a Communities-of-Practice-Inspired Cognitive Work Analysis Approach

“…We feel that the approach taken here, examining one community over time, provides insights that the approach may have had an effect, as well as suggestions of a promising approach to be considered in other designs. This approach is similar to other longitudinal studies of website use (e.g., Lee, 2012;Leslie, Marshall, Owen, & Bauman, 2005;Stevens et al, 2008). To further develop the design approach in future work, we would create specific hypotheses about the effects of applying different types of design changes to the website, apply these changes incrementally, and carefully track the effects on website usage, website communications, and social network graphs.…”