A new study has found that weight loss data collected by research technicians is more accurate than data collected through electronic medical records. The study, known as the PROPEL trial, was conducted by a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
The PROPEL trial included 456 overweight or obese adults who were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The first group received weight loss counseling and guidance from research technicians, while the second group received weight loss counseling and guidance from their electronic medical records.
The results of the study showed that the group who received weight loss counseling and guidance from research technicians lost significantly more weight than the group who received weight loss counseling and guidance from their electronic medical records. The average weight loss in the research technician group was 5.5 pounds, while the average weight loss in the electronic medical records group was 3.3 pounds.
The researchers believe that the difference in weight loss between the two groups is due to the fact that research technicians are more likely to provide customized and individualized advice, while electronic medical records provide generic information that is not specific to the individual.
The findings of the PROPEL trial suggest that weight loss counseling and guidance from research technicians is more effective than weight loss counseling and guidance from electronic medical records. This study highlights the importance of personalization and customization in weight loss counseling and guidance.
It is well known that obesity is a major health problem in the United States. One-third of US adults are obese, and the prevalence of obesity has been increasing over the past few decades (1). Despite the fact that obesity is a major health problem, there are few effective interventions for treating obesity. In fact, most weight loss interventions have only modest effects, and most people who lose weight regain the weight within a few years (2).
The PROPEL trial is a randomized controlled trial of an innovative weight loss intervention that uses a smartphone app to provide personalized feedback to participants. The trial is being conducted at four clinical sites in the United States.
The primary aim of the PROPEL trial is to compare weight loss data collected by research technicians using standard anthropometric measures (i.e., weight, height, waist circumference) with weight loss data collected by electronic medical records (EMRs). The EMRs are being used to collect weight data for a subset of participants at two of the four clinical sites.
The PROPEL trial is unique in that it is one of the first trials to compare weight loss data collected by research technicians with weight loss data collected by EMRs. There are several potential advantages of using EMRs to collect weight data. First, EMRs are more objective than research technicians. Second, EMRs are more efficient, and thus, cheaper to use. Finally, EMRs have the potential to be more generalizable than research technician-collected data.
The results of the PROPEL trial will be important for weight loss research. If the EMR-collected data are found to be comparable to data collected by research technicians, then this will suggest that EMRs can be used to collect weight data in large-scale clinical trials. This would be a significant advance in weight loss research, as EMRs are more efficient and less expensive to use than research technicians.
References:
1. Obesity: What are the health risks? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/in-depth/obesity/art-20046032
2. Wing, R. R., & Phelan, S. (2005). Long-term weight loss maintenance. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 222S-225S.
