Gezond Gewicht Assistent (Healthy Weight Assistant)

Description:

The goal of the Healthy Weight Assistant (HWA) is to support people with a healthy weight and people who are slightly overweight (BMI between 18 and 28) to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. The intervention focuses not on weight loss, but on healthy nutrition and exercise behaviour. The HWA consists of 4 different stages. In the first stage, you answer questions about your weight, nutritional behaviour, exercise behaviour and emotions related to your behaviour. Your answers are used to provide tailored advice. The second stage involves motivation and goal setting; you are asked what your motivations are and the HWA helps to clarify these motivations in relation to your behaviour. You are also coached to set useful and realistic goals. In stage three you are coached to think about difficult moments (moments in which you are tempted to perform non-healthy behaviour) and to provide solutions for these moments. The HWA coaches you through this stage by giving automated tailored feedback. The fourth and final stage involves monitoring your behaviour and achievement of goals by means of a diary. You are able to fill out the diary with nutritional and exercise information and give feedback on the achievement of your goals.

Service URL:
Agency Responsible:
Netherlands Nutrition Centre.

Details

Format:
Website.
Intervention Type:
Other. Based on a transtheoretical model of health behaviour
Course Length:
Moderate (2-5 modules). Contains four stages
Support Option:
Automated only.

Target Audience

Primary Category:
Weight and Obesity.
Target Audience:
Adult. Targets individuals who are at a healthy weight or slightly overweight
Language:
Dutch.

Access

Fee:
Free.
Access:
Open: With registration.
Contact Details:

Via an online form at: http://www.gezondgewichtassistent.nl/contact/formulier.html

Research evidence

Research Trials:
2
Research RCTs:
1
Outcome Summary:

The effectiveness of the Healthy Weight Assistant (HWA) intervention has been tested in one randomised controlled trial (RCT) which allocated participants to either the HWA or to a wait-list control condition. Of those in the HWA intervention condition, 64% used the service at least once and were classified as users, the remainder in the intervention group as non-users. No significant differences between the control group and users of the HWA were found on any of the outcomes variables. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no meaningful significant effects of the intervention, although within the HWA condition, users were healthier and more knowledgeable about healthy behaviour than non-users. There was a small but significant improvement among users on physical activity (r = -.17, p = .03), but non-users showed a small but significant improvement on dietary behaviour (r = -.23, p = .03). Differences between users and non-users can not be attributed to the use of the HWA service. In a qualitative study, the HWA was rated favourably by users. Overall, there is currently no research evidence that the HWA is effective in changing dietary and physical activity behaviour.

Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

There is no evidence at the moment.
Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

There is no evidence at the moment.

Read more about Beacon's Smiley Rating System.

Research paper citations

  1. Kelders, S. M., van Gemert-Pijnen, J. E., Werkman, A., Seydel, E. R. (2010). Evaluation of a web-based lifestyle coach designed to maintain a healthy bodyweight. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare, 16(1), 3-7.
  2. Kelders, S. M., van Gemert-Pijnen, J. E.,  Werkman, A., Nijland, N., Seydel, E. R. (2011). Effectiveness of a web-based intervention aimed at healthy dietary and physical activity behavior: a randomized controlled trial about users and usage. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13(2):e32.

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Last Updated: July 20th 2011