Women’s Perceptions of Participation in an Extended Contact Text Message–Based Weight Loss Intervention: An Explorative Study

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Background

Extending contact with participants after the end of an initial weight loss intervention has been shown to lead to maintained weight loss and related behavioral change. Mobile phone text messaging (short message service, SMS) offers a low-cost and efficacious method to deliver extended contact. In this rapidly developing area, formative work is required to understand user perspectives of text message technology. An extended contact intervention delivered by text messages following an initial telephone-delivered weight loss intervention in breast cancer survivors provided this opportunity.

Objective

The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore women’s perceptions of participation in an extended contact intervention using text messaging to support long-term weight loss, physical activity, and dietary behavioral change.

Methods

Following the end of an initial 6-month randomized controlled trial of a telephone-delivered weight loss intervention (versus usual care), participants received a 6-month extended contact intervention via tailored text messages. Participant perceptions of the different types of text messages, the content, tailoring, timing, and frequency of the text messages, and the length of the intervention were assessed through semistructured interviews conducted after the extended contact intervention. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with key themes identified.

Results

Participants (n=27) were a mean age of 56.0 years (SD 7.8) and mean body mass index of 30.4 kg/m2 (SD 4.2) and were at a mean of 16.1 months (SD 3.1) postdiagnosis at study baseline. Participants perceived the text messages to be useful behavioral prompts and felt the messages kept them accountable to their behavioral change goals. The individual tailoring of the text message content and schedules was a key to the acceptability of the messages; however, some women preferred the support and real-time discussion via telephone calls (during the initial intervention) compared with the text messages (during the extended contact intervention).

Conclusions

Text message support was perceived as acceptable for the majority of women as a way of extending intervention contact for weight loss and behavioral maintenance. Text messages supported the maintenance of healthy behaviors established in the intervention phase and kept the women accountable to their goals. A combination of telephone calls and text message support was suggested as a more acceptable option for some of the women for an extended contact intervention.

Related collections

Most cited references 10

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

The impact of extended care on the long-term maintenance of weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

M Perri, Kathryn M Ross Middleton, Seema Patidar (2012)

Behavioural weight management interventions consistently produce 8-10% reductions in body weight, yet most participants regain weight after treatment ends. One strategy for extending the effects of behavioural interventions has been the provision of extended care. The current study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on the effect of extended care on maintenance of weight loss. Through database searches (using PubMED, PsychInfo and Cochrane Reviews) and manual searches through reference lists of related publications, 463 studies were identified. Of these, 11 were included in the meta-analysis and an additional two were retained for qualitative analysis. The average effect of extended care on weight loss maintenance was g=0.385 (95% confidence interval: 0.281, 0.489; P<0.0001). This effect would lead to the maintenance of an additional 3.2 kg weight loss over 17.6 months post-intervention in participants provided extended care compared with control. There was no significant heterogeneity between studies, Q=5.63, P=0.845, and there was minimal evidence for publication bias. These findings suggest that extended care is a viable and efficacious solution to addressing long-term maintenance of lost weight. Given the chronic disease nature of obesity, extended care may be necessary for long-term health benefits. © 2011 The Authors. obesity reviews © 2011 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

0 comments Cited 89 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Mobile phone text messaging to promote healthy behaviors and weight loss maintenance: a feasibility study.

Marian L. Fitzgibbon, B Gerber, Lisa K Sharp … (2009)

There is a need to investigate newer strategies pertaining to the maintenance of healthy behaviors and weight. We investigated the feasibility of mobile phone text messaging to enable ongoing communication with African-American women participating in a weight management program. Ninety-five African-American women participated in this pilot study and received regularly scheduled text messages. Forty-two of these women chose to create 165 personal text messages that included tips on healthy eating and physical activity, as well as reminders to drink water and expressions of encouragement. A commercially available client-based application transmitted these personal messages and general health messages at least three times per week. The software transmitted over 4500 text messages during the first 4 months with 114 returned as undeliverable. Participants expressed generally positive attitudes toward incoming text messages, with only one participant declining to continue after enrollment. This study demonstrated early feasibility and acceptability of text messaging as a method for promoting healthy behaviors for weight maintenance.

0 comments Cited 65 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Adolescents Just Do Not Know What They Want: A Qualitative Study to Describe Obese Adolescents’ Experiences of Text Messaging to Support Behavior Change Maintenance Post Intervention

Kyla Smith, Deborah Kerr, Ashley A. Fenner … (2014)

Background Adolescents are considered a hard to reach group and novel approaches are needed to encourage good health. Text messaging interventions have been reported as acceptable to adolescents but there is little evidence regarding the use of text messages with overweight and obese adolescents to support engagement or behavior change after the conclusion of a healthy lifestyle program. Objective The intent of this study was to explore the opinions of overweight adolescents and their parents regarding the use of text messages as a support during the maintenance period following an intervention. Methods This paper reports on the findings from focus groups conducted with adolescents (n=12) and parents (n=13) who had completed an eight-week intensive intervention known as Curtin University’s Activity, Food and Attitudes Program (CAFAP). Focus groups were conducted three months post intensive intervention. Participants were asked about their experiences of the prior three-month maintenance phase during which adolescents had received tri-weekly text messages based on the self-determination theory and goal-setting theory. Participants were asked about the style and content of text messages used as well as how they used the text messages. Data were analyzed using content and thematic analyses. Results Two clear themes emerged from the focus groups relating to (1) what adolescents liked or thought they wanted in a text message to support behavior change, and (2) how they experienced or responded to text messages. Within the “like/want” theme, there were five sub-themes relating to the overall tone of the text, frequency, timing, reference to long-term goals, and inclusion of practical tips. Within the “response to text” theme, there were four sub-themes describing a lack of motivation, barriers to change, feelings of shame, and perceived unfavorable comparison with other adolescents. What adolescents said they wanted in text messages often conflicted with their actual experiences. Parent reports provided a useful secondary view of adolescent experience. Conclusions The conflicting views described in this study suggest that overweight and obese adolescents may not know or have the ability to articulate how they would best be supported with text messages during a healthy lifestyle maintenance phase. Further, supporting both engagement and behavior change simultaneously with text messaging may not be possible. Intervention texts should be personalized as much as possible and minimize feelings of guilt and shame in overweight and obese adolescents. Future research with text messaging for overweight and obese adolescents should incorporate clear intervention aims and evaluation methods specifically related to adolescent engagement or behavior change. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12611001187932; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12611001187932 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6LGSbk8d9).

0 comments Cited 34 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Contributors

Jennifer R Job:

Cancer Prevention Research CentreSchool of Public HealthThe University of QueenslandLevel 4, Public Health BuildingHerston Road, HerstonBrisbane, 4006Australia61 7 3345 516361 7 3365 5540j.job@uq.edu.au

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0307-9602

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (publisher-id): JMU

Title: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Publisher: JMIR Publications (Toronto, Canada )

ISSN (Electronic): 2291-5222

Publication date Collection: February 2017

Publication date (Electronic): 27 February 2017

Volume: 5

Issue: 2

Electronic Location Identifier: e21

Affiliations

[1] ¹Cancer Prevention Research Centre School of Public Health The University of Queensland BrisbaneAustralia

Author notes

Corresponding Author: Jennifer R Job j.job@ 123456uq.edu.au

Author information

Jennifer R Job http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0307-9602

Lauren C Spark http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5175-5743

Brianna S Fjeldsoe http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3800-4173

Elizabeth G Eakin http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8835-9995

Marina M Reeves http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3052-2013

Article

Publisher ID: v5i2e21

DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.6325

PMC ID: 5348617

PubMed ID: 28242595

SO-VID: 859a4146-eabd-45b0-a1ba-5374a58afd7a

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR mhealth and uhealth, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mhealth.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

History

Date received : 7 July 2016

Date revision requested : 19 November 2016

Date revision received : 8 December 2016

Date accepted : 7 February 2017

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 11

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 257

See all reference authors

Submit your digital health research with an established publisher
- celebrating 25 years of open access