title: Face-to-Face and Online Networks: College Students' Experiences in a Weight-Loss Trial.
abstract: This study aimed to understand how college students participating in a 2-year randomized controlled trial (Project SMART: Social and Mobile Approach to Reduce Weight; N = 404) engaged their social networks and used social and mobile technologies to try and lose weight. Participants in the present study (n = 20 treatment, n = 18 control) were approached after a measurement visit and administered semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed using principles from grounded theory. Treatment group participants appreciated the timely support provided by the study and the integration of content across multiple technologies. Participants in both groups reported using non-study-designed apps to help them lose weight, and many participants knew one another outside of the study. Individuals talked about weight-loss goals with their friends face to face and felt accountable to follow through with their intentions. Although seeing others' success online motivated many, there was a range of perceived acceptability in talking about personal health-related information on social media. The findings from this qualitative study can inform intervention trials using social and mobile technologies to promote weight loss. For example, weight-loss trials should measure participants' use of direct-to-consumer technologies and interconnectivity so that treatment effects can be isolated and cross-contamination accounted for.
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.|b Department of Biomedical Informatics , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.|c Department of Computer Science and Engineering , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: Nadir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weibel
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.|c Department of Computer Science and Engineering , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pina
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.|c Department of Computer Science and Engineering , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Griswold
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.|d Department of Medicine , School of Medicine, University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.affiliation: e Division of Health Promotion, Graduate School of Public Health , San Diego State University , San Diego , California , USA.
authors.forename: Guadalupe X
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Ayala
authors.affiliation: f San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology , San Diego , California , USA.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.affiliation: g Department of Cognitive Science , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hollan
authors.affiliation: a Center for Wireless and Population Health Systems, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Institute/Calit 2 , University of California San Diego , La Jolla , California , USA.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patrick
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002140:California; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014495:Universities; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult