A randomized controlled trial of a commercial internet weight loss program.
OBJECTIVE
To assess, in a 1-year randomized controlled trial, the efficacy of eDiets.com (a commercial Internet weight loss program) in improving weight, cardiovascular health, and quality of life.


METHODS
Participants were 47 women with a mean age of 43.7 +/- 10.2 (SD) years and a mean BMI of 33.5 +/- 3.1 kg/m2. They were randomly assigned to either: 1) eDiets.com, a commercial Internet-based program available to the public; or 2) a weight loss manual (i.e., LEARN Program for Weight Control 2000). At baseline, participants in both groups met briefly with a psychologist who instructed them to follow the components of their program as closely as possible. Additional brief visits were provided at weeks 8, 16, 26, and 52 to review their progress. Change in weight was the main outcome measure.


RESULTS
At week 16, participants in eDiets.com lost 0.9 +/- 3.2% of initial weight compared with 3.6 +/- 4.0% for women assigned to the weight loss manual. At week 52, losses increased to 1.1 +/- 4.0% and 4.0 +/- 5.1%, respectively. Results of a last-observation-carried-forward analysis found that women in the manual group lost significantly (p < 0.05) more weight (at both times) than those treated by eDiets.com. (Results, however, of baseline-carried-forward and completers analyses did not reach statistical significance.) There were no significant differences between groups in changes in cardiovascular risk factors or quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides consumers with important information about the probable benefits they can expect from participating in a popular Internet-based weight loss program.
Womble
Leslie G
LG
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Weight and Eating Disorders Program, 3535 Market St., Suite 3029, Philadelphia 19104, USA. womble@mail.med.upenn.edu
Wadden
Thomas A
TA
McGuckin
Brian G
BG
Sargent
Stephanie L
SL
Rothman
Rebecca A
RA
Krauthamer-Ewing
E Stephanie
ES
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002784:Cholesterol; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015431:Weight Loss
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008055:Lipids; D002784:Cholesterol