ObesityNCT02709642
Brigham and Women's Healthy Weight Study
A study testing Deposit Contract in people with Obesity, run by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to determine if a financial deposit contract is a successful method of helping people to maintain their weight loss. A deposit contract is an agreement in which participants put their own money at risk, with the goal of "earning" it back by achieving a goal, in this case maintaining prior… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity
- What is being tested?
- Deposit Contract
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 42 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jun 2016to 30 Apr 2020
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- employee of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Brigham and Women's Physicians Organization (BWPO), or Partners working at the Francis Street complex of Brigham and Women's Hospital (either part-time or full-time)
- 18 years of age or older
- successfully and intentionally lost at least 10lbs within the past 18 months
- had a BMI over 25 at some point over the previous 18 months
Who cannot join
- plan to change jobs outside of the BWH Francis Street complex in the next year
- had weight-loss surgery in the past 3 years
- currently on a very low calorie (800 or fewer calories) liquid diet or taking weight loss medicine
- currently have cancer, a severe psychiatric disorder, an eating disorder, or another severe medical illness that may affect weight beyond control
- plan to become pregnant in the next year
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02115
About this study
Official title: Brigham and Women's Healthy Weight Study: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Financial Incentive for Weight Maintenance
The purpose of this study is to determine if a financial deposit contract is a successful method of helping people to maintain their weight loss. A deposit contract is an agreement in which participants put their own money at risk, with the goal of "earning" it back by achieving a goal, in this case maintaining prior weight loss. The study will also evaluate the interventions using survey research to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions.
Read the detailed description
Interested participants who can verify >10lb weight-loss over the last year and a half will be randomly assigned to either the control group, in which they will be asked to attend weekly weigh-ins at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) over the course of a year, or to the deposit contract intervention group. Both the control group and the deposit contract group will complete the weekly weigh-ins for one year. The deposit contract group will additionally have a financial component: these participants will be asked to make a deposit of at least $100 each 10-week period over the course of one year (50 weeks), and can recoup this amount as detailed above. All participants will take baseline and end-of-study surveys.
During an enrollment meeting, study staff will request via an authorization form that participants allow approved members of the research staff to examine their electronic medical record for the duration of the study if they receive their care at a BWH-affiliated practice. This will confirm their >10lb weight loss.
At the end of every 10-week period, DC participants will receive an email with how much money they recouped. Participants who did not recoup the full amount they deposited must bring in a check to the following weigh-in to cover the difference so that participants have at least $100 deposited for the following 10-week period. Additionally, participants will have the option to use their initial study baseline weight, or be re-weighed for a new baseline weight for the following 10-week period, for which they will then use as their target weight. They will also have the option to increase or decrease their deposit for the upcoming 10-week period as needed.
Each subject may skip non-consecutive weigh-ins without losing their weekly contribution. However, if subjects skip two or more consecutive weekly weigh-ins, participants may only recoup up to one of those skipped weigh-ins if they are successful in their weight management in the week that they return for a weigh-in. Skipped weigh-ins will not roll over into a new 10-week period.
- Conditions
- Obesity
- Being tested
- Deposit Contract
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Deposit ContractBehavioural
A deposit contract (DC) is an agreement in which study participants puts their own money at risk, with the goal of "earning" it back by achieving a goal, in this case maintaining prior weight loss. If DC participants successfully maintain their weight, they get their money back. If they are not successful, they lose their money. For each 10 week period for one year, DC participants will make a deposit of at least $100 but will be allowed to increase their contribution if they would prefer.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | Control Participants will complete weekly weigh-ins and receive emails about how their current weight compares to their baseline weight. |
| Deposit Contract | Experimental | The deposit contract group will also complete weekly weigh-ins and receive emails about how their current weight compares to their baseline weight. In addition, the deposit contract group will be asked to make a deposit of at least $100 each 10-week period over the course of one year (50 weeks). Each week, they will recoup 1/10 of their 10-week deposit if they are within two pounds of their baseline weight or lower. If they are more than two pounds above their baseline weight, they will forfeit 1/10 of their 10-week deposit. The money they forfeited for that week will go into a collective pool to be divided up at the end of each 10-week period by all deposit contract participants who successfully maintained their weight loss at the end of the 10-week period. Receives: Behavioral: Deposit Contract |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Weight
Primary outcome measure will be the difference in weight in pounds between their baseline trial weight and their weight at 1 year, controlling for age, sex, race, and baseline weight.
Measured: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Secondary outcomes (3)
Success in meeting weight goal
The binary variable of whether subjects met their goal at the end of one year will be assessed with logistic regression.
Measured: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Number of weeks in which subjects met their weight goal
The number of weeks in which subjects met their weight goal will be assessed with linear regression.
Measured: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Number of participants who report factors of weight maintenance success as assessed by questionnaires
Surveys at baseline and at follow-up will assess a variety of factors associated with weight maintenance, such as how participants have lost and are seeking to lose weight; how satisfied they are with their weight; their motivation and confidence in losing and maintaining weight loss; and behaviors such as diet, exercise habits, and screen time. These factors will be examined with basic descriptive statistics. Survey analysis will assess whether some of these factors, specifically confidence and motivation to lose or maintain weight, are associated with the primary outcome of weight change at 1 year, using linear regression models.
Measured: At Baseline (~April-August 2016) and at completion (~June-August 2017)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Mar 2016 (estimated)
- Study startJun 2016
- Primary completion1 Jul 2018
- Study completion30 Apr 2020
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for ObesityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Jason P Block, MD, MPH, Principal investigator, Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA.
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02709642
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1K23HL111211-03
- Status last verified
- Jul 2020
- First submitted
- 8 Mar 2016
- Last updated
- 30 Jul 2020
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Individual participant data will be made available on a case-by-case basis.
Publications
Volpp KG, John LK, Troxel AB, Norton L, Fassbender J, Loewenstein G. Financial incentive-based approaches for weight loss: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2008 Dec 10;300(22):2631-7. doi: 10.1001/jama.2008.804.
PubMed 19066383Jeffery RW, Thompson PD, Wing RR. Effects on weight reduction of strong monetary contracts for calorie restriction or weight loss. Behav Res Ther. 1978;16(5):363-9. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(78)90005-0. No abstract available.
PubMed 743075
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Jul 2020. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Brigham and Women's Healthy Weight Study: Randomized Controlled Trial of a Financial Incentive for Weight Maintenance
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02709642
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1K23HL111211-03
- Conditions
- Obesity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 42 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Harvard Pilgrim Health CareUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study start
- Jun 2016
- Primary completion
- 1 Jul 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Apr 2020 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Mar 2016 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to determine if a financial deposit contract is a successful method of helping people to maintain their weight loss. A deposit contract is an agreement in which participants put their own money at risk, with the goal of "earning" it back by achieving a goal, in this case maintaining prior weight loss. The study will also evaluate the interventions using survey research to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the interventions.
Detailed description
Interested participants who can verify >10lb weight-loss over the last year and a half will be randomly assigned to either the control group, in which they will be asked to attend weekly weigh-ins at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) over the course of a year, or to the deposit contract intervention group. Both the control group and the deposit contract group will complete the weekly weigh-ins for one year. The deposit contract group will additionally have a financial component: these participants will be asked to make a deposit of at least $100 each 10-week period over the course of one year (50 weeks), and can recoup this amount as detailed above. All participants will take baseline and end-of-study surveys.
During an enrollment meeting, study staff will request via an authorization form that participants allow approved members of the research staff to examine their electronic medical record for the duration of the study if they receive their care at a BWH-affiliated practice. This will confirm their >10lb weight loss.
At the end of every 10-week period, DC participants will receive an email with how much money they recouped. Participants who did not recoup the full amount they deposited must bring in a check to the following weigh-in to cover the difference so that participants have at least $100 deposited for the following 10-week period. Additionally, participants will have the option to use their initial study baseline weight, or be re-weighed for a new baseline weight for the following 10-week period, for which they will then use as their target weight. They will also have the option to increase or decrease their deposit for the upcoming 10-week period as needed.
Each subject may skip non-consecutive weigh-ins without losing their weekly contribution. However, if subjects skip two or more consecutive weekly weigh-ins, participants may only recoup up to one of those skipped weigh-ins if they are successful in their weight management in the week that they return for a weigh-in. Skipped weigh-ins will not roll over into a new 10-week period.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –Control Participants will complete weekly weigh-ins and receive emails about how their current weight compares to their baseline weight. |
| Deposit Contract | Experimental | Behavioral: Deposit ContractThe deposit contract group will also complete weekly weigh-ins and receive emails about how their current weight compares to their baseline weight. In addition, the deposit contract group will be asked to make a deposit of at least $100 each 10-week period over the course of one year (50 weeks). Each week, they will recoup 1/10 of their 10-week deposit if they are within two pounds of their baseline weight or lower. If they are more than two pounds above their baseline weight, they will forfeit 1/10 of their 10-week deposit. The money they forfeited for that week will go into a collective pool to be divided up at the end of each 10-week period by all deposit contract participants who successfully maintained their weight loss at the end of the 10-week period. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- employee of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Brigham and Women's Physicians Organization (BWPO), or Partners working at the Francis Street complex of Brigham and Women's Hospital (either part-time or full-time)
- 18 years of age or older
- successfully and intentionally lost at least 10lbs within the past 18 months
- had a BMI over 25 at some point over the previous 18 months
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- plan to change jobs outside of the BWH Francis Street complex in the next year
- had weight-loss surgery in the past 3 years
- currently on a very low calorie (800 or fewer calories) liquid diet or taking weight loss medicine
- currently have cancer, a severe psychiatric disorder, an eating disorder, or another severe medical illness that may affect weight beyond control
- plan to become pregnant in the next year
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit ContractA deposit contract (DC) is an agreement in which study participants puts their own money at risk, with the goal of "earning" it back by achieving a goal, in this case maintaining prior weight loss. If DC participants successfully maintain their weight, they get their money back. If they are not successful, they lose their money. For each 10 week period for one year, DC participants will make a deposit of at least $100 but will be allowed to increase their contribution if they would prefer. | Behavioural | Deposit Contract |
Primary outcome
Weight
Time frame: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Primary outcome measure will be the difference in weight in pounds between their baseline trial weight and their weight at 1 year, controlling for age, sex, race, and baseline weight.
3 secondary outcomes
Success in meeting weight goal
Time frame: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Number of weeks in which subjects met their weight goal
Time frame: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).
Number of participants who report factors of weight maintenance success as assessed by questionnaires
Time frame: At Baseline (~April-August 2016) and at completion (~June-August 2017)
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Jul 2020.
- Background: PubMed 19066383Volpp KG, John LK, Troxel AB, Norton L, Fassbender J, Loewenstein G. Financial incentive-based approaches for weight loss: a randomized trial. JAMA. 2008 Dec 10;300(22):2631-7. doi: 10.1001/jama.2008.804.
- Background: PubMed 743075Jeffery RW, Thompson PD, Wing RR. Effects on weight reduction of strong monetary contracts for calorie restriction or weight loss. Behav Res Ther. 1978;16(5):363-9. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(78)90005-0. No abstract available.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Individual participant data will be made available on a case-by-case basis.
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Obesity
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jason P Block, MD, MPH principal investigator
Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Deposit Contract in people with Obesity, run by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 30 Jul 2020. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Weight (time frame: Weekly weigh-ins from baseline until the end of the study (about 1 year from April 2016-August 2017).). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02709642, which also lists 2 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 30 Jul 2020.