School Of Medicine, University Centre for Rural Health, Western Sydney University, Lismore, Australia.
Rural Clinical School, University of Sydney, Lismore, Australia.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2019 Apr 24;7(4):e11832. doi: 10.2196/11832.
Obesity is an endemic problem with significant health and financial consequences. Text messaging has been shown to be a simple and effective method of facilitating weight reduction. In addition, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) has emerged as a significant anthropometric measure. However, few studies have examined the effect of serial anthropometric self-measurement combined with text messaging.
The primary aim of this study was to assess whether an 8-week program, consisting of weekly serial self-measurements of waist and hip circumference, combined with motivational text messages, could reduce WHR among Australian workers.
This was a community-based, participant-blinded, staggered-entry, parallel group study. Adult workers with access to mobile phones were eligible and recruited through an open access Web-based survey. Participants were randomly allocated to receive intervention or control messages for 8 weeks. Outcome data were self-assessed through a Web-based survey.
A total of 60 participants were randomized with 30 participants each allocated to a control and an intervention group. There was no significant change in WHR (P=.43), and all secondary outcome measures did not differ between the intervention group and the control group at the end of the 8-week intervention. Both groups, however, showed a significant decrease in burnout over time (mean [SE]: pre 4.80 [0.39] vs post 3.36 [0.46]; P=.004). The intervention uptake followed a downward trend. Peak participant replies to weekly self-measurements were received in week 3 (14/23, 61%) and the least in week 8 (8/23, 35%). No harm was found to result from this study.
This study is an innovative pilot trial using text messaging and serial anthropometric measurements in weight management. No change was detected in WHRs in Australian workers over 8 weeks; therefore, it could not be concluded whether the intervention affected the primary outcome. However, these results should be interpreted in the context of limited sample size and decreasing intervention uptake over the course of the study. This pilot trial is useful for informing and contributing to the design of future studies and the growing body of literature on serial self-measurements combined with text messaging.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616001496404; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371696&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73UkKFjSw).
肥胖是一个具有重大健康和经济后果的地方性问题。已证明短信可以作为促进减肥的简单而有效的方法。此外，腰臀比（WHR）已成为重要的人体测量指标。但是，很少有研究检查连续人体测量自我测量与短信相结合的效果。
本研究的主要目的是评估每周进行腰围和臀围的连续自我测量，并结合激励性短信，是否可以降低澳大利亚工人的 WHR。
这是一项基于社区的，参与者盲法的，交错进入的，平行组研究。有手机访问权限的成年工人符合条件，并通过开放式在线调查招募。参与者被随机分配接受干预或对照消息 8 周。通过在线调查自行评估结果数据。
共随机分配了 60 名参与者，每组 30 名参与者分别分配到对照组和干预组。WHR 没有明显变化（P=.43），并且在 8 周干预结束时，干预组和对照组的所有次要结局指标均无差异。但是，两组的倦怠感随着时间的推移均有明显下降（平均[SE]：前 4.80[0.39]vs后 3.36[0.46]；P=.004）。干预参与率呈下降趋势。每周自我测量的参与者回复高峰出现在第 3 周（14/23，61％），而第 8 周最少（8/23，35％）。该研究未发现任何伤害。
本研究是一项创新性的试点试验，使用短信和体重管理中的连续人体测量。在 8 周内，澳大利亚工人的 WHR 没有变化；因此，不能得出干预是否影响主要结果的结论。但是，应该根据样本量有限和研究过程中干预参与率下降的情况来解释这些结果。该试点试验对于为未来的研究和不断增长的有关短信和连续自我测量的文献提供信息和贡献很有用。
澳大利亚新西兰临床试验注册 ACTRN12616001496404；https：//www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx？id = 371696&isReview = true（由 WebCite 存档于 http：//www.webcitation.org/73UkKFjSw）。
