title: Evaluation of a text supported weight maintenance programme 'Lighten Up Plus' following a weight reduction programme: randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many overweight people find it difficult to maintain weight loss after attending a weight reduction programme. Self-weighing and telephone support are known to be useful methods for self-monitoring for weight loss. We examined the effectiveness of an SMS-text messaging based weight maintenance programme to encourage regular self-weighing in adults who had completed a 12 week commercial weight loss programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trial of 380 obese or overweight men and women. The intervention group (N = 190) received a single maintenance support phone call and SMS-text based weight maintenance messages over 12 weeks to encourage regular self-weighing after completing their weight loss programme. The primary outcome was change in weight at 9 months follow up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample (N = 380) had a mean age of 47.4 years (SD 13.4), mean baseline weight and BMI of 93.1 kg (16.1) and 34.4 kg/m(2) (5.0) respectively, as well as majority female (87.3%) and White British (80.0%). Using intention to treat analysis both groups regained weight at 9 months follow up; the intervention group regained an average of 1.36 kg while the control group regained 1.81 kg. Adjusting for covariates resulted in a mean difference of 0.45 kg (95% CI -0.78, 1.67) favouring the intervention group at 9 month follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no evidence that an SMS based weight maintenance intervention encouraging adults to weigh themselves weekly prevented weight regain at 3 or 9 months after completing a commercial weight loss programme.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN47845106 .
authors: Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. m.s.sidhu@bham.ac.uk.
authors: Manbinder S
authors: MS
authors: Sidhu
authors: Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. a.daley@bham.ac.uk.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Daley
authors: Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. c.b.jolly@bham.ac.uk.
authors: Kate
authors: K
authors: Jolly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D000068959:Body Weight Maintenance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013689:Telephone; D060145:Text Messaging; D006113:United Kingdom; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs