As the January fitness surge fades and busy schedules return, many people struggle to stick to their weight loss resolutions. But a short online quiz could be the key to staying motivated, according to new research from City St George's, University of London.
The study, published in the journal JMIR Formative Research, involved 148 UK adults participating in a free 12-week digital weight management programme commissioned by the NHS. Participants answered a 17-question quiz, rating statements such as "When I feel sad, I often overeat" on a scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree. They were then grouped into four eating profiles, including "maladaptive comfort-eaters" and "well-adjusted" individuals, and received weekly personalised advice through the Oviva weight loss app.
Results showed that those who received tailored advice based on the quiz were 90.5 per cent more likely to engage with the app than those who did not take the quiz. Average weight loss was also greater in the quiz group, although the difference was not statistically significant within the seven-week period. Researchers said this may be because the trial was too short to have a significant impact, and they hope to extend the study over a longer timeframe.
Dr Joanna Szypula, a behaviour change researcher who led the study, said: "Obesity affects over a quarter of adults in the UK and is a leading cause of preventable illness and rising health care costs. This is one of the first studies of its kind, it points to the potential of personalised programmes to drive down these numbers by getting people motivated and engaged in their own weight loss. Weight loss is personal – what works for one person may not work for another. By identifying these behaviour profiles, we can help people work out what is most likely to hold them back on their journey to a healthier lifestyle. The good news is all the factors we looked at can potentially be tackled and changed."
