Using Behavioural Insights to Improve Effectiveness of Digital Weight Loss Interventions

关键词：肥胖，健康行为，数字健康，跨学科研究，量化技能英国超过四分之一的成年人患有肥胖症，肥胖症显著增加了他们患心血管疾病、2型糖尿病和几种癌症的风险。它还支撑了大量的多发性疾病。支持人们减肥对于减轻肥胖相关疾病的负担、减轻个人和卫生服务的负担非常重要。最近的政府肥胖计划认识到有必要确定干预措施，以经济高效的方式支持大规模成功减肥。数字干预是有希望的，但他们的证据基础有限。在鼓励遵守数字方案方面也面临着特别的挑战，特别是在人口中的某些群体。该项目将侧重于开发和测试新的干预组成部分，旨在促进参与者的持续参与。该项目与第二自然合作，后者是一家通过数字传输的行为体重管理程序的提供商，旨在支持人们增加体力活动并创造健康的饮食模式，以在现实环境中实现可持续的减肥。该计划允许参与者通过智能手机应用程序访问循证教育文章、注册营养师或营养师、跟踪技术和小组支持。DPhil项目将由三个主要部分组成：1)定量分析现有数据以确定用户参与和脱离的预测因素；2)进行和分析定性访谈以了解用户体验；3)在真实世界环境中开发和测试新的干预组件。该项目将结合牛津大学行为科学的专业知识和第二自然的商业见解，促进更有效的减肥方法的开发，这些方法可以立即纳入NHS的护理，从而在全国范围内产生影响。

Key words: obesity, health behaviours, digital health, interdisciplinary research, quantitative skillsOver a quarter of adults in the UK are living with obesity, which significantly increases their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancers. It also underpins substantial multimorbidity. Supporting people to lose weight is important to reduce the burden of obesity-related diseases, for individuals and health services. The recent government obesity plan recognises the need to identify interventions to support successful weight loss at scale in a cost-effective way. Digital interventions are promising but their evidence base is limited. There are also particular challenges in encouraging adherence to digital programmes, especially in some subgroups of the population. The project will focus on developing and testing new intervention components, aiming to foster sustained participant engagement. The project is in partnership with Second Nature, a provider of a digitally-delivered behavioural weight management programme that is designed to support people to increase their physical activity and create healthy eating patterns, to achieve sustainable weight loss in a real-world environment. The programme gives participants access to evidence-based educational articles, a registered dietitian or nutritionist, tracking technology, and group support via a smartphone application. It is one of the weight management service providers commissioned by NHS England and local commissioning groups.The DPhil project will have three major components: 1) quantitatively analysing existing data to identify predictors of user engagement and disengagement, 2) conducting and analysing qualitative interviews to understand user experiences, and 3) developing and testing new intervention components in a real-world setting. The project will combine expertise in behavioural science in Oxford and commercial insights from Second Nature to enhance the development of more effective weight loss approaches that can be immediately incorporated into NHS care, thus creating impact on a national scale.