Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study
Background: This randomised controlled study evaluated a computer-generated future self-image as a personalised, visual motivational tool for weight loss in adults. Methods: One hundred and forty-five people (age 18-79 years) with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 25kg/m2 were randomised to receiv...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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BioMed Central
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53285 |
| _version_ | 1848759108175396864 |
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| author | Ossolinski, G. Jiwa, M. McManus, Alexandra Parsons, R. |
| author_facet | Ossolinski, G. Jiwa, M. McManus, Alexandra Parsons, R. |
| author_sort | Ossolinski, G. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: This randomised controlled study evaluated a computer-generated future self-image as a personalised, visual motivational tool for weight loss in adults. Methods: One hundred and forty-five people (age 18-79 years) with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 25kg/m2 were randomised to receive a hard copy future self-image at recruitment (early image) or after 8weeks (delayed image). Participants received general healthy lifestyle information at recruitment and were weighed at 4-weekly intervals for 24weeks. The image was created using an iPad app called 'Future Me'. A second randomisation at 16weeks allocated either an additional future self-image or no additional image. Results: Seventy-four participants were allocated to receive their image at commencement, and 71 to the delayed-image group. Regarding to weight loss, the delayed-image group did consistently better in all analyses. Twenty-four recruits were deemed non-starters, comprising 15 (21%) in the delayed-image group and 9 (12%) in the early-image group (?2(1)=2.1, p=0.15). At 24weeks there was a significant change in weight overall (p<0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image group: -0.60kg, early-image group: -0.42kg, p=0.01). Men lost weight faster than women. The group into which participants were allocated at week 16 (second image or not) appeared not to influence the outcome (p = 0.31). Analysis of all completers and withdrawals showed a strong trend over time (p<0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image: -0.50kg, early-image: -0.27kg, p=0.0008). Conclusion: One in five participants in the delayed-image group completing the 24-week intervention achieved a clinically significant weight loss, having received only future self-images and general lifestyle advice. Timing the provision of future self-images appears to be significant, and promising for future research to clarify their efficacy. Trial Registration: Australian Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: ACTRN12613000883718. Registered on 8 August 2013. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:54:38Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-53285 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T09:54:38Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | BioMed Central |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-532852017-10-02T02:28:22Z Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study Ossolinski, G. Jiwa, M. McManus, Alexandra Parsons, R. Background: This randomised controlled study evaluated a computer-generated future self-image as a personalised, visual motivational tool for weight loss in adults. Methods: One hundred and forty-five people (age 18-79 years) with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 25kg/m2 were randomised to receive a hard copy future self-image at recruitment (early image) or after 8weeks (delayed image). Participants received general healthy lifestyle information at recruitment and were weighed at 4-weekly intervals for 24weeks. The image was created using an iPad app called 'Future Me'. A second randomisation at 16weeks allocated either an additional future self-image or no additional image. Results: Seventy-four participants were allocated to receive their image at commencement, and 71 to the delayed-image group. Regarding to weight loss, the delayed-image group did consistently better in all analyses. Twenty-four recruits were deemed non-starters, comprising 15 (21%) in the delayed-image group and 9 (12%) in the early-image group (?2(1)=2.1, p=0.15). At 24weeks there was a significant change in weight overall (p<0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image group: -0.60kg, early-image group: -0.42kg, p=0.01). Men lost weight faster than women. The group into which participants were allocated at week 16 (second image or not) appeared not to influence the outcome (p = 0.31). Analysis of all completers and withdrawals showed a strong trend over time (p<0.0001), and a difference in rate of change between groups (delayed-image: -0.50kg, early-image: -0.27kg, p=0.0008). Conclusion: One in five participants in the delayed-image group completing the 24-week intervention achieved a clinically significant weight loss, having received only future self-images and general lifestyle advice. Timing the provision of future self-images appears to be significant, and promising for future research to clarify their efficacy. Trial Registration: Australian Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: ACTRN12613000883718. Registered on 8 August 2013. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53285 10.1186/s13063-017-1907-6 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ BioMed Central fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Ossolinski, G. Jiwa, M. McManus, Alexandra Parsons, R. Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title | Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title_full | Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title_fullStr | Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title_short | Do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? A randomised controlled study |
| title_sort | do images of a personalised future body shape help with weight loss? a randomised controlled study |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/53285 |