Contact email
hbaer@bwh.harvard.edu
Overview
In this cluster-randomized trial, the team implemented an online weight management program that was integrated with population health management support at primary care practices at Brigham and Women’s Hospital with preliminary results indicating that participants lost weight and had improvements in weight-related quality of life, health status, and physical activity over 12 months.
Department
Internal Medicine
Division
General Internal Medicine
Collaborators
Heather J. Baer
Barbara A. De La Cruz
Nyryan V. Nolido
E. John Orav
Kristina Secinaro
Ronen Rozenblum
Jason P. Block
Katherine D. McManus
Florencia Halperin
David W. Bates
Status/Stage of Development
Ongoing program
Measurement
The primary outcome is weight change at 12 months after enrollment, calculated from weights measured at primary care visits. Secondary outcomes include changes in cardiovascular risk factors, weight-related quality of life, health status, physical activity, and diet.
Results
-840 participants were enrolled with mean weight 203 lbs and mean BMI 32.5.
-On average participants lost weight, with mean loss 4.7 lbs over 12 months.
-Weight related quality of life increased by a mean of 5.3 on a 100 point scale
-Physical activity increased by a mean of 5.4 minutes per week
-Very good or excellent health ratings increased by 14% over 12 months
-Three strategies: usual care, online program alone, and online program with population health management support were compared head to head, but final results of the comparison are yet to be reported
National/Policy Context
Primary care providers often do not have sufficient time or training to counsel patients about weight loss creating an urgent need for scalable, low-cost weight management strategies that can be easily implemented in primary care.
Sources
Heather J. Baer, Barbara A. De La Cruz, Nyryan V. Nolido, E. John Orav, Kristina Secinaro, Ronen Rozenblum, Jason P. Block, Katherine D. McManus Florencia Halperin, David W. Bates. Integrating an online Weight Management Program with Population Health Management Support in Primary Care: Preliminary Results from the PROPS Study (Partnerships for Reducing Overweight and Obesity with Patient-Centered Strategies [abstract]. In: SGIM Annual Meeting 2019.;May 8-May 11; Washington D.C.