title: Preventing weight gain in African American breast cancer survivors using smart scales and activity trackers: a randomized controlled pilot study.
abstract: This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of two 6-month, self-regulation interventions that focused on daily self-weighing (DSW) and used objective monitoring and tailored feedback about weight (±activity), to prevent weight gain among African American breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  Participants (n = 35) were randomized to an intervention + activity monitoring (INT+), intervention (INT), or control (CON) group. Interventions included a wireless scale (±activity tracker) that transmitted objective data to a mobile app/website, emailed lessons, and tailored feedback based on objective weight (±activity data). Participants completed in-person and online assessments at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
  
  
  
  Ninety-four percent of participants completed assessments at 3 months, and 97 % at 6 months. Median (IQR) weight change after 6 months was -0.9 % (-4.4-0.1) in the INT+ (p = 0.075; p = 0.067 vs. CON) and -0.2 % (-4.2-1.3) in the INT groups (p = 0.463; p = 0.357 vs. CON), versus a 0.2 % (-0.7-1.7) gain in the CON group. The proportion of INT+, INT, and CON participants that were at or below baseline weight was 72.7, 53.8, and 45.5 %, respectively (effect sizes d = 0.64, d = 0.18). Most INT+ participants weighed and wore trackers ≥5 days/week (INT+, 81.9 % vs. INT, 38.5 % vs. CON, 0 %; p < 0.0005; INT+, 72.7 %). Both intervention groups perceived DSW as positive, and 100 % would recommend the program to other breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  An intervention focused on DSW as a self-monitoring strategy shows promise for preventing weight gain in breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  Daily self-monitoring of weight and activity may be a feasible and accessible approach to promote weight gain prevention in breast cancer survivors.
  
  
  
  ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02030353.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. carmina.valle@unc.edu.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. carmina.valle@unc.edu.
authors.forename: Carmina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.affiliation: Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Allison M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Deal
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.|Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tate
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D000072936:Fitness Trackers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017741:Survivors; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: African American; Breast cancer survivors; Intervention; Randomized trial; Technology; Weight gain prevention