Findings from an online behavioural weight management programme provided with or without a fortified diet beverage

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2014-01, Vol.111 (2), p.372-379
• Main Authors: Haddock, C. Keith, Poston, Walker S. C., LaGrotte, Caitlin, Klotz, Alicia A., Oliver, Tracy L., Vander Veur, Stephanie S., Foster, Gary D., Jebb, Susan A., Moore, Carmel, Roberts, Susan A., Reeves, Rebecca S., Bolton, Mary Pat, Foreyt, John P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior modification; Behaviour, Appetite and Obesity; Beverages; Beverages - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Caffeine; Caffeine - chemistry; Dextrins - chemistry; Diet; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Green tea; Health promotion; Humans; Internet; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Obesity; Odds Ratio; Plant Extracts; Tea - chemistry; United Kingdom; United States; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Weight control; Weight Loss - drug effects; Weight Reduction Programs - methods; Weight Reduction Programs - organization & administration
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114513002377

The present multi-centre randomised weight-loss trial evaluated the efficacy of a low-intensity 12-week online behavioural modification programme, with or without a fortified diet beverage using a 2 × 2 factorial design. A total of 572 participants were randomised to: (1) an online basic lifestyle information (OBLI) intervention, consisting of one online informational class about tips for weight management; (2) an online behavioural weight management (OBWM) intervention, entailing 12 weekly online classes focused on weight-loss behaviour modification; (3) an OBLI intervention plus a fortified diet cola beverage (BEV) containing green tea extract (total catechin 167 mg), soluble fibre dextrin (10 g) and caffeine (100 mg) (OBLI+BEV); (4) OBWM+BEV. Assessments included height, weight, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-derived body composition, and waist circumference (WC). Attrition was 15·7 %. Intention-to-treat (ITT) models demonstrated a main effect for type of Internet programme, with those assigned to the OBWM condition losing significantly more weight (F= 7·174; P= 0·008) and fat mass (F= 4·491; P= 0·035) than those assigned to the OBLI condition. However, there was no significant main effect for the OBWM condition on body fat percentage (F= 2·906; P= 0·089) or WC (F= 3·351; P= 0·068), and no significant main effect for beverage use or significant interactions between factors in ITT models. A 12-week, low-intensity behaviourally based online programme produced a greater weight loss than a basic information website. The addition of a fortified diet beverage had no additional impact.