Technology Trials to Aid Young Adults in a Healthy Weight

In efforts to enlist young adults to protect their health in the future, the National Institutes of Health's National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has just funded seven clinical trials which will use a blend of behavioral weight management programs and the one thing young adults seem to use constantly modern technology. The technology will consist of things such as text messaging and social networks. Several trials have just started and are looking for participants.

According to Dr. Susan B. Shurin, acting director of NHLBI the studies will provide the possibility to learn about how to interest young adults in obtaining a healthy weight at an essential time in their lives. Learning what strategies work for weight management further enables young adults to safe guard their future health. The studies were designed to provide proof to aide in guiding young adults to methods that work and let them make choices on methods that work best for them.

The Early Reduction of Weight through Lifestyle Intervention (EARLY) trials looks towards stopping weight gain and advocating weight loss in young adults. Young adults range is 18 to 35 years old. These trials will receive funding in the amount of $36 million over a five year span. They also received partial support from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Past research from NHLBI has shown that people in the age range of 18 - 49 years old gain on average one to two pounds each year with the largest gain in weight being three pounds each year in people aged 20 to 29 years old. Weight gain can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and other risks for cardiovascular disease.

The following trials are scheduled for young adults aged 18 to 35 years old.

Target Study

Treating Adults at Risk for Weight Gain with Interactive Technology at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. The will employ i Pod Touch, web seminars, along with pod casts to send a behavioral weight loss intervention to those young adults who are attempting to give up smoking. Target will be the first to ever use tobacco cessation-weight management program which is aimed at young adults. The trial will use 330 participants.

To be eligible you must meet the following:

Age 18 to 35

Smoker (10 or more cigarettes each day

Want to quit smoking

Body Mass Index (BMI) of 22 or above

Have access to a telephone

You are generally in good health

You plan to stay in the Memphis area for the next 2 years

Benefits if you are enrolled:

Participant's in the study will receive free nicotine patches to help them stop smoking. Access to a tobacco quit line and an intervention using new interactive technology. A maximum of $250.00 compensation for time and travel and for all completions of follow-up visits for two years.

You can contact them by phone at 901-488-7867 or email and physical address on their site.

IDEA

Innovative Approaches for Diet, Exercise, and Activity (IDEA) at the University of Pittsburgh. They will be testing on how weight loss intervention with upgraded text message reminders, wearable exercise monitors. The study will consist of 480 participants.

To be eligible you must meet the following:

Age 18 -35

Overweight or obese but otherwise healthy

Time duration of study is 24 months to allow for long term study of behavior changes, strategies and technology on weight loss and participation.

If you are interested in participation you can call to see if you are eligible at 412-488-4184

eMoms Rock

Electronically Mediated Weight Interventions for Pregnant and Postpartum Women at the Cornell University/University of Rochester in New York. They will be testing internet based programs to advocate the health of pregnant and postpartum women. The e-interventions will include focus on diet, physical activity, weight and other issues of interest to these women. The study will consist of 3,500 who will be ethnically and socioeconomically diverse women and in their first 20 weeks of pregnancy.

There is no current information on eligibility for this study at this time. If you are interested you need to check the site in February of this year. Currently you can contact them on the site form at emomsrock.

CHOICES

Choosing Healthy Options in Environments and Settings at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. Will be testing a four credit course which will include networking in the prevention of unhealthy weight gain. The study will include 440 students attending two year colleges. The eligibility requirements are rather detailed and are available online at clinical trails. If you feel you meet the requirements and wish to participate in the trial you can call 612-624-2374 or you can send an email to Megan Treziok at trezi003@umn.edu

CITY

Cell Phone Intervention for You at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. They will be testing two weight loss methods against a control method. There will be 360 participants. In one method, participants will use cell phones for self-monitoring and social networking. The other method will be using cell phones for self-monitoring and will receive personal coaching.

To be eligible you must meet the following:

Age 18 - 35 years old

Have a Body Mass Index of 25 or greater (calculator)

Have a cell phone with Verizon as the provider

Not pregnant or not planning on a pregnancy for two years

Are not in any other weight loss programs

Are not a family member of City Staff

Are willing to go to two personal screenings

When you pass screening:

If assigned to cell phone group you will receive an android phone. Software on phone will have interactive features to aide in weight loss.

If assigned to Personal Coaching Group you will receive an android phone during an in person group visit and by phone. The cell phone will track your progress and designed to help you lose weight in a healthy manner.

If assigned to Usual Group Care, you will meet with study staff and attend study visits for the duration of the two year trial. You also will have the opportunity to take advantage of the weight loss program at the close of the study.

All participants will participate in baseline screening visits and three follow-up clinic visits at 6, 12 and 24 months after the start of study. You will receive reimbursement for time and travel to each of the three follow-up visits. If you wish to participate you can call 919-618-2489 or contact them online at Duke.

SMART

Social/Mobile Approaches to Reducing Weight, at the University of California, San Diego. They will be testing behavioral intervention using mobile phones, Facebook and the Web. The study will consist of 380 overweight or obese university students who wish to lose weight. For further information you need to contact them by email at smartinfo@ucsd.edu

SNAP

Study of Novel Approaches for Prevention, at Brown University/Miriam Hospital. They will be testing a web-based weight management intervention against a control. The study will consist of 600 young adult participants. The aim for this study is to aide participants self-regulate their weight by either making immense changes in their diet and exercise habits to lose weight or small changes to prevent or reverse weight gain.

To be eligible you must meet the following:

Age 18 to 35 years old

Normal to moderate overweight (BMI 21 - 30). Use the calculator to find your BMI

Must reside within easy driving distance to Providence, Rhode Island or Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Be willing to participate.

Benefits

Personalized feedback on your diet and exercise behavior, changes in blood pressure, body fat and lipid levels.

Expert advice from professionals such as nutritionists, health educators, nurses, exercise physiologists.

Throughout the entire study personal feedback on blood pressure, percent of body fat, cholesterol, glucose, insulin and metabolic rate at periodical checks.

Detailed examination of your dietary intake and physical activity periodically during the study.

Small monetary incentives for completing study related visits.

If you meet the requirements and are interested in participating you can sign up at SNAP.

All trials are scheduled to start in spring of this year.

A part of NHLBI, plans, conducts and supports research associated to the causes, prevention, diagnoses and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases along with sleep disorders. They also execute national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children among others. More information and material is available at their website NHLBI.

The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development sponsors research on development, before and after birth, maternal, child, family health, reproductive biology, population issues and medical rehabilitation. More information can be found on their website NICHD.

Sources:

Target Study

IDEA

eMoms Rock

CITY

SNAP

Healthy News