OBJECTIVE: New communication technologies have shown some promise in lifestyle weight loss interventions but may be most effective when leveraging face-to-face communications. The study reported here sought to test whether weight loss programme attendance and outcomes are greater when offered in-person at community sites or remotely via videoconference versus. in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). In a three-arm randomized trial among 150 FQHC adults, intervention delivery in community-sites or via videoconference was tested against a clinic-based lifestyle intervention (enhanced usual care (EUC)). METHODS: Twice weekly, a nutrition topic was reviewed, and exercise sessions were held in a 20-week programme delivered either in community settings or via videoconference. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants losing more than 2 kg at 6 (end of treatment) and 12 months in intent-to-treat analyses. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age was 53 years, 82% were women, 65% were African-American, 50% reported $18,000 or less household income and 49% tested low in health literacy, and mean (SD) body mass index was 39 kg m-2. The proportion losing more than 2 kg of weight in the community site, videoconference and EUC groups was 33%, 34% and 24%, respectively, at 6 months and 29%, 34% and 29% at 12 months. No differences reached significance. Attendance was poor in all groups; 45% of community site, 58% of videoconference and 16% of EUC participants attended at least one session. CONCLUSION: Videoconference and community-based delivery were as effective as an FQHC-based weight loss programme.

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