ObesitySMSNCT02985307
Impact of Mobile Phone Texting Service to Support Weight Loss
A study testing Short Message Text Service and Standard Weight Management Group in people with Obesity, run by NHS Lothian at 2 sites in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This study evaluates the efficacy of a mobile telehealth short message service as a facilitator for weight management. Half of the participants will receive a standard care weight management group intervention, while the other half will receive daily text messages via their mobile phone to help facilitate weight loss. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity
- What is being tested?
- Short Message Text Service and Standard Weight Management Group
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 28 Apr 2017to 30 Nov 2018
- 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
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Body mass index > 35kg/m requiring to lose weight for an operation or having a co-morbidity including diabetes, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea or with a body mass >40kg/m with no co-morbidities.
- Own a mobile phone
- Have the ability to use short message service
- Have access to weighing scales
- Mentally capable of informed consent
- Have the ability to read and speak English
Who cannot join
- Uncontrolled Hypothyroidism
- Poorly controlled psychiatric illness
- Current alcohol or drug abuse
- Learning disability
- Do not own a mobile phone
- Do not have access to weighing scales
- Does not have the ability to read or speak English
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United Kingdom2 sites
Elizabeth McAnally
Edinburgh, West Lothian, EH49 6SJ
NHS Lothian
Edinburgh, West Lothian, EH54 6PP
About this study
Official title: Efficacy of Mobile Telehealth Short Message Service (SMS) as a Facilitator for Weight Management: A Randomised Controlled Trial
This study evaluates the efficacy of a mobile telehealth short message service as a facilitator for weight management. Half of the participants will receive a standard care weight management group intervention, while the other half will receive daily text messages via their mobile phone to help facilitate weight loss. It is hypothesized that the intervention group receiving text messages will be as successful as the control group at achieving weight loss over a 3-month period.
Read the detailed description
Obesity, a chronic progressive disease, has become a major public health concern due to its increasing prevalence and association with many adverse health conditions including type 2 diabetes, many cancers and heart disease. The number of individuals requiring weight management intervention is increasing necessitating the need to explore other initiatives.
Developments in health technology are growing in popularity and there is increasing evidence that this type of intervention for obesity can significantly improve clinical outcomes. Mobile phones are a popular means of communication that provide a convenient, inexpensive means to deliver a health technology intervention.Short message service (SMS) by mobile phone has the potential to serve as an intervention medium to promote weight loss that is accessible and easy to use.
- Conditions
- Obesity
- Being tested
- Short Message Text Service, Standard Weight Management Group
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Short Message Text ServiceBehavioural
A service designed by professionals inside the National Health Service (NHS) to provide support and advice for participants to manage weight loss. It combines the expertise of the healthcare team and the convenience of the participant's own mobile phone to give prompts and advice to act on. It makes use of the familiar and convenient mobile phone text service 'SMS' to communicate directly with participants.
Standard Weight Management GroupBehavioural
A standard Lothian NHS group programme facilitated by a Dietitian
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Short Message Text Service | Experimental | Participants receive short messages daily via their mobile phone Receives: Behavioral: Short Message Text Service |
| Standard Weight Management Group | Active comparator | Participants attend standard group weight management sessions Receives: Behavioral: Standard Weight Management Group |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Weight Loss
weight recorded in Kg on a Seca 635 medical digital load cell balance
Measured: 3 months
Secondary outcomes (4)
Behavioural changes necessary for weight loss
Self reported dietary and physical activity changes using 7-day food and exercise diaries
Measured: 3 months
Body fat changes
Measured using a medically approved and validated scale: Tanita SC-240MA body composition analyser
Measured: 3 months
Body Mass index
calculated using the formula weight in kg divided by height squared in metres
Measured: 3 months
Height
Height measured using Seca portable stadiometer with a sliding head plate
Measured: 3months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Dec 2016 (estimated)
- Study start28 Apr 2017
- Primary completion30 Nov 2018
- Study completion30 Nov 2018
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)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
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- NHS Lothian
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Collaborators
- Queen Margaret University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Douglas McBean, PhD, Study director, Queen Margaret University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02985307
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 16/SS/0200
- Acronym
- SMS
- Status last verified
- Mar 2019
- First submitted
- 29 Nov 2016
- Last updated
- 3 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: De-identified participant data for all primary and secondary outcome measures will be made available within 6months of study completion
Publications
Patrick K, Raab F, Adams MA, Dillon L, Zabinski M, Rock CL, Griswold WG, Norman GJ. A text message-based intervention for weight loss: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2009 Jan 13;11(1):e1. doi: 10.2196/jmir.1100.
PubMed 19141433
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 3 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Efficacy of Mobile Telehealth Short Message Service (SMS) as a Facilitator for Weight Management: A Randomised Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02985307
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SMS / 16/SS/0200
- Conditions
- Obesity
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- NHS LothianOther government
- Collaborators
- Queen Margaret University
- Study start
- 28 Apr 2017 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2018 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Nov 2018 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Dec 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.
This study evaluates the efficacy of a mobile telehealth short message service as a facilitator for weight management. Half of the participants will receive a standard care weight management group intervention, while the other half will receive daily text messages via their mobile phone to help facilitate weight loss. It is hypothesized that the intervention group receiving text messages will be as successful as the control group at achieving weight loss over a 3-month period.
Detailed description
Obesity, a chronic progressive disease, has become a major public health concern due to its increasing prevalence and association with many adverse health conditions including type 2 diabetes, many cancers and heart disease. The number of individuals requiring weight management intervention is increasing necessitating the need to explore other initiatives.
Developments in health technology are growing in popularity and there is increasing evidence that this type of intervention for obesity can significantly improve clinical outcomes. Mobile phones are a popular means of communication that provide a convenient, inexpensive means to deliver a health technology intervention.Short message service (SMS) by mobile phone has the potential to serve as an intervention medium to promote weight loss that is accessible and easy to use.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Short Message Text Service | Experimental | Behavioral: Short Message Text ServiceParticipants receive short messages daily via their mobile phone |
| Standard Weight Management Group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Standard Weight Management GroupParticipants attend standard group weight management sessions |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Body mass index > 35kg/m requiring to lose weight for an operation or having a co-morbidity including diabetes, osteoarthritis, high cholesterol, asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure or sleep apnoea or with a body mass >40kg/m with no co-morbidities.
- Own a mobile phone
- Have the ability to use short message service
- Have access to weighing scales
- Mentally capable of informed consent
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Uncontrolled Hypothyroidism
- Poorly controlled psychiatric illness
- Current alcohol or drug abuse
- Learning disability
- Do not own a mobile phone
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Short Message Text ServiceA service designed by professionals inside the National Health Service (NHS) to provide support and advice for participants to manage weight loss. It combines the expertise of the healthcare team and the convenience of the participant's own mobile phone to give prompts and advice to act on. It makes use of the familiar and convenient mobile phone text service 'SMS' to communicate directly with participants. | Behavioural | Short Message Text Service |
| Standard Weight Management GroupA standard Lothian NHS group programme facilitated by a Dietitian | Behavioural | Standard Weight Management Group |
Primary outcome
Weight Loss
Time frame: 3 months
weight recorded in Kg on a Seca 635 medical digital load cell balance
4 secondary outcomes
Behavioural changes necessary for weight loss
Time frame: 3 months
Body fat changes
Time frame: 3 months
Body Mass index
Time frame: 3 months
Height
Time frame: 3months
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 3 Oct 2025.
- Results publication: PubMed 19141433Patrick K, Raab F, Adams MA, Dillon L, Zabinski M, Rock CL, Griswold WG, Norman GJ. A text message-based intervention for weight loss: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2009 Jan 13;11(1):e1. doi: 10.2196/jmir.1100.
- World Health OrganisationLink provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. De-identified participant data for all primary and secondary outcome measures will be made available within 6months of study completion
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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.
Douglas McBean, PhD study director
Queen Margaret University
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Short Message Text Service and Standard Weight Management Group in people with Obesity, run by NHS Lothian at 2 sites in United Kingdom.
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 6 inclusion and 7 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 3 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United Kingdom. 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 Loss (time frame: 3 months). 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 NCT02985307, which also lists 1 linked publication.
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 3 Oct 2025.