Brown Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, The Miriam Hospital's Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, Providence, RI, United States.
JMIR Serious Games. 2014 Feb 7;2(1):e2. doi: 10.2196/games.2987.
BACKGROUND: Web-based commercial weight loss programs are increasing in popularity. Despite their significant public health potential, there is limited research on the effectiveness of such programs. OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to examine weight losses produced by DietBet and explore whether baseline and engagement variables predict weight outcomes. METHODS: DietBet is a social gaming website that uses financial incentives and social influence to promote weight loss. Players bet money and join a game. All players have 4 weeks to lose 4% of their initial body weight. At enrollment, players can choose to share their participation on Facebook. During the game, players interact with one another and report their weight loss on the DietBet platform. At week 4, all players within each game who lose at least 4% of initial body weight are declared winners and split the pool of money bet at the start of the game. Official weigh-in procedures are used to verify weights at the start of the game and at the end. RESULTS: From December 2012 to July 2013, 39,387 players (84.04% female, 33,101/39,387; mean weight 87.8kg, SD 22.6kg) competed in 1934 games. The average amount bet was US $27 (SD US $22). A total of 65.63% (25,849/39,387) provided a verified weight at the end of the 4-week competition. The average intention-to-treat weight loss was 2.6% (SD 2.3%). Winners (n=17,171) won an average of US $59 (SD US $35) and lost 4.9% (SD 1.0%) of initial body weight, with 30.68% (5268/17,171) losing 5% or more of their initial weight. Betting more money at game entry, sharing on Facebook, completing more weigh-ins, and having more social interactions during the game predicted greater weight loss and greater likelihood of winning (Ps<.001). In addition, weight loss clustered within games (P<.001), suggesting that players influenced each others' weight outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: DietBet, a social gaming website, reached nearly 40,000 individuals in just 7 months and produced excellent 4-week weight loss results. Given its reach and potential public health impact, future research may consider examining whether a longer program promotes additional weight loss.
背景：基于网络的商业减肥计划越来越受欢迎。尽管它们具有重要的公共卫生潜力，但对这些计划的有效性的研究有限。
目的：我们的研究目的是检查 DietBet 产生的体重减轻，并探讨基线和参与变量是否预测体重结果。
方法：DietBet 是一个社交游戏网站，它使用财务激励和社会影响力来促进减肥。玩家下注并参加游戏。所有玩家都有 4 周的时间减轻初始体重的 4%。在注册时，玩家可以选择在 Facebook 上分享他们的参与情况。在游戏期间，玩家相互交流并在 DietBet 平台上报告他们的体重减轻情况。在第 4 周，每个游戏中至少减轻初始体重 4%的所有玩家都被宣布为赢家，并平分游戏开始时下注的资金。在游戏开始和结束时使用官方称重程序验证体重。
结果：2012 年 12 月至 2013 年 7 月，39387 名参与者（84.04%为女性，33101/39387；平均体重 87.8kg，SD 22.6kg）参加了 1934 场比赛。下注金额平均为 27 美元（SD 22 美元）。共有 65.63%（25849/39387）在 4 周比赛结束时提供了经过验证的体重。平均意向治疗体重减轻量为 2.6%（SD 2.3%）。获胜者（n=17171）平均赢得 59 美元（SD 35 美元），减轻初始体重的 4.9%（SD 1.0%），其中 30.68%（5268/17171）减轻了初始体重的 5%或更多。在游戏开始时下注更多的钱、在 Facebook 上分享、完成更多的称重、在游戏期间进行更多的社交互动，都预示着体重减轻更多，获胜的可能性更大（P<.001）。此外，游戏内体重减轻存在聚集现象（P<.001），表明玩家相互影响体重结果。
结论：DietBet 是一个社交游戏网站，在短短 7 个月内就吸引了近 40000 人，并且取得了出色的 4 周体重减轻效果。鉴于其影响力和潜在的公共卫生影响，未来的研究可能会考虑研究更长时间的项目是否会促进额外的体重减轻。
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