Text Messaging as Adjunct to Community Based Weight Management Program

Obesity ascending rates are still a public health priority. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of tailored text messages on body weight change in overweight and obese adults in a community based weight management program. A secondary aim was to detect behavioral changes in the same population. The study design was quasi-experimental with pre and posttest analysis, conducted over 12 weeks. A total of 28 participants were included in the analysis. Body weight, eating behaviors, exercise and nutrition self-efficacy, attitude toward mobile technology, social support and physical activity were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks. Text messages were sent biweekly to the intervention but not to the control group. At 12 weeks, the intervention group had lost significant weight as compared to the control group. There was a trend toward an improvement in eating behaviors, exercise and nutrition self-efficacy in the intervention group, with no significant difference between groups. A total of 79% of participants stated that text messages helped in adopting healthy behaviors. Tailored text messages appear to enhance weight loss in a weight management program at a community setting. Large scale and long term intervention studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Nursing

Year dc:date.available

2012

Author dc:creator

• Bouhaidar, Claudia

Contributors dc:contributor

• Jeanne Salyer

• Overweight
• obesity
• adult
• SMS text messaging
• weight loss
• Medicine and Health Sciences
• Nursing

Statement dc:rights

• © The Author

Identifier

https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/444

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarscompass.vcu.edu:etd-1443