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Therapists who communicated with the e-mail counseling group had masters or doctoral degrees in health education, nutrition or psychology. They e-mailed participants five times a week during the first month and weekly for the remaining months. E-mail counseling included feedback on the self-monitoring record, reinforcement and recommendations for change, answers to questions, andgeneral support.

The e-mail counseling group lost more than twice as much weight as the basic group. At 12 months, participants in the e-mail counseling group lost an average 10 pounds (or 5 percent of their initial body weight) compared to participants in the basic group, who lost an average 4 pounds (or 2 percent of their initial body weight). E-mail counseling participants also showed greater increases in exercise during the first three months and a greater reduction in their consumption of fat calories over the course of the year. Use of the Web site was associated with weight loss in both groups. Those who spent more time at the Web site lost more weight.

This study enabled researchers to isolate the role of the therapist and e-mail counseling in online weight loss programs. It expands on Tates earlier research on the use of information technology to aid initial weight loss, a six-month study reported in the March 7, 2001, issue of JAMA. Although that study the first of its kind enabled researchers to determine the feasibility of an online weight loss program, it was unable to pinpoint which component of the online program was most successful.

With this study we were able to determine the importance of the therapist, said Tate. The weekly contact with a therapist and the recommendations and support they provided helped keep people on track.

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Contact: Kristen Cole
Kristen_Cole@brown.edu
401-863-2476
Brown University
8-Apr-2003