Adherence
Web-based interventions alone do not significantly differ from control or minimal intervention groups in achieving weight loss, unless they include enhanced behavioral features.
Do not expect a basic website with articles and meal plans to produce significant weight loss on its own. These programs are no more effective than doing nothing. You need a program that actively engages you with feedback and behavioral strategies.
When pooled in a meta-analysis... there was no significant difference in weight change between the web-based intervention and control groups at post-intervention (SMD 0.73 [-0.06, 1.51] Z = 1.81 [P = 0.07]).
Why this rating
Meta-analysis of RCTs, but significant heterogeneity was noted (I2 = 84.4%), reducing confidence in the pooled estimate.
Source
Effectiveness of web‐based interventions in achieving weight loss and weight loss maintenance in overweight and obese adults: a systematic review with meta‐analysis
Melinda Neve et al. · Obesity Reviews · 2009
DOI 10.1111/j.1467-789x.2009.00646.x
More from this paper
- Web-based interventions for weight loss maintenance are significantly more effective than control or minimal intervention groups in preventing weight regain.Good
- Web-based interventions that include enhanced features such as behavioral therapy, human email counseling, or automated feedback achieve significantly greater weight loss compared to education-only web-based programs or control groups.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →