Social Incentives and Gamification to Promote Weight Loss: The LOSE IT Randomized, Controlled Trial

Journal of General Internal Medicine
Gregory W KurtzmanMitesh S Patel

Abstract

Social networks influence obesity patterns, but interventions to leverage social incentives to promote weight loss have not been well evaluated. To test the effectiveness of gamification interventions designed using insights from behavioral economics to enhance social incentives to promote weight loss. The Leveraging Our Social Experiences and Incentives Trial (LOSE IT) was a 36-week randomized, controlled trial with a 24-week intervention and 12-week follow-up. One hundred and ninety-six obese adults (body mass index ≥ 30) comprising 98 two-person teams. All participants received a wireless weight scale, used smartphones to track daily step counts, formed two-person teams with a family member or friend, and selected a weight loss goal. Teams were randomly assigned to control or one of two gamification interventions for 36 weeks that used points and levels to enhance collaborative social incentives. One of the gamification arms also had weight and step data shared regularly with each participant's primary care physician (PCP). The primary outcome was weight loss at 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included weight loss at 36 weeks. At 24 weeks, participants lost significant weight from baseline in the control arm (mean: - 3.9 lbs; 9...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 6, 2019·Nature Reviews. Rheumatology·Alexis Ogdie, David A Asch
Dec 27, 2019·American Journal of Health Promotion : AJHP·Jeffrey Lienert, Mitesh Patel
Sep 19, 2020·Translational Behavioral Medicine·Evan M FormanAdrienne S Juarascio
Mar 13, 2019·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Dandan MoHuigang Liang
Jul 6, 2021·Current Opinion in Cardiology·Michael KozikSeth S Martin

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