Purpose: Determine the effects of telephone-based coaching and a weight-loss supplement on the weight and body fat (BF) of overweight adults.
Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled experiment with assessments at baseline, 2 months, and 4 months.
Setting: Community.
Subjects: Sixty overweight or obese men and 60 overweight or obese women, 25 to 60 years
Intervention: Eleven 30-minute telephone coaching sessions were spaced throughout the study; the initial conversation lasted 60 to 90 minutes. Supplement or placebo capsules were taken daily over the 17 weeks.
Measures: Weight was measured using an electronic scale, and BF was assessed using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry.
Results: Subjects taking the placebo lost 1.8 +/- 3.3 kg of weight and 0.7 +/- 2.2 kg of BF, whereas supplement users lost more: 3.1 +/- 3.7 kg of weight (F = 4.1, P = .045) and 1.7 +/- 2.6 kg of BF (F = 4.4, p = .039). Participants receiving no coaching lost 1.8 +/- 3.3 kg of weight and 0.7 +/- 2.2 kg of BF, whereas adults receiving coaching lost more: 3.2 +/- 3.6 kg of weight (F = 4.8, p = .032) and 1.6 +/- 2.5 kg of BF (F = 4.2, p = .044). Adults receiving both the supplement and coaching had the greatest losses of weight and BF, suggesting an additive effect (F = 3.2, p = .026; F = 2.9, p = .039, respectively).
Conclusions: Both treatments, coaching and the supplement, viewed separately and in combination, worked to help subjects lose weight and BF. Adults can be educated and motivated via telephone to change behaviors leading to weight loss, and a weight-loss supplement can be included to increase success.