NCT03040518

Game of Stones: A Research Study That Texts Men to Help Them Lose Weight

Completed NA Last updated 27 April 2020

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Narrative SMS in Obesity in 105 participants. Completed in 30 November 2019.

Timeline

1 March 2017

Primary endpoint
30 November 2018

30 November 2019

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Stirling
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	105
Start date	1 March 2017
Primary completion	30 November 2018
Estimated completion	30 November 2019
Sites	2 locations across United Kingdom

Drugs / interventions tested

• Narrative SMS
• Endowment Incentive

Conditions studied

• Obesity — all drugs for Obesity →

Sponsor

University of Stirling

Who can join

18 and older, male only, with Obesity. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

In 2014, 24% of UK men were obese. However men rarely participate in weight loss programmes. This study looks at whether two interventions which show promise can help obese men lose weight and keep it off.

INTERVENTION 1: Sending text messages to a mobile phone. These will be written as though they come from other men who are also losing weight and include 'how to do it' diet and physical activity tips, combined with friendly humour and support.

INTERVENTION 2: The same texts plus promising men money at the start contingent on weight loss achievement. The money will vary over a year according to whether weight targets are met. This is called an endowment incentive and is based on research showing that modest payment helps people change their diet and physical activity. At the 3, 6 and 12 month weighing appointments, men will have the option of continuing with the original weight loss targets of 5%, 10% and 10% or setting lower targets of 5% of body weight at 6 months and 5% at 12 months. This is to maintain motivation and hope for men who do not meet the more ambitious weight loss targets.

This study examines if the texts work better with incentives than alone. Both interventions are delivered from a computer and have potential to reach large numbers, including men who don't use health services. This work is done together with obese men and a charity for men to help us find the best ways to deliver the interventions to as many men as possible, including men in difficult life situations.

This study will examine whether it is acceptable and feasible to randomise obese men to three groups: texts only; texts and incentive; or to a 'control group' who wait a year and then get the texts for 3 months. The feasibility of recruiting 105 obese men from two regions of Scotland will be assessed. Half of the men will get an invitation letter from their GP. The other half will be approached in the community, given information about the study and invited to take part. Men can take part if their waist circumference is 40 inches and more or their Body Mass Index is 30 or higher. The study examines how long it takes to find 105 obese men who want to take part, how many come back to suitable venues at 3, 6 and 12 months to get weighed and answer questions about their quality of life, lifestyle and motivation. At the end participants will report about their experiences of weight loss and of being in the study.

Publications & conference data

3 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Game of Stones: feasibility randomised controlled trial of how to engage men with obesity in text message and incentive interventions for weight loss.
   Dombrowski SU, McDonald M, van der Pol M, Grindle M, et al · · 2020 · cited 25× · PMID 32102807 · DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032653
2. Recruiting men from across the socioeconomic spectrum via GP registers and community outreach to a weight management feasibility randomised controlled trial.
   McDonald MD, Dombrowski SU, Skinner R, Calveley E, et al · · 2020 · cited 8× · PMID 33023501 · DOI 10.1186/s12874-020-01136-2
3. Text messaging and financial incentives to encourage weight loss in men with obesity: the Game of Stones feasibility RCT
   Dombrowski SU, McDonald M, van der Pol M, Grindle M, et al · · 2020 · PMID 32902933