MRC Epidemiology UnitThe social distancing and isolation measures imposed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic mean adults with overweight and obesity may be vulnerable to weight gain and the associated negative impacts on health. The SWiM-C study is trying to find the best way to help people with overweight and obesity prevent weight gain and support good physical and mental health.
What treatments are we looking at?
Half of the participants will receive a new web-based weight loss maintenance programme called “Supporting Weight Management” (SWiM). The website includes weekly sessions in which participants will learn new skills and create healthy habits. It also includes a weight tracker to monitor weight over time and participants will receive remote support from a coach. The other half of participants will receive a booklet (via email) with advice on diet, physical activity and mental health. At the end of the study participants who received standard advice will have the opportunity to try the SWiM programme, and those who received SWiM will receive the standard advice materials.
What do we hope to find out?
We will look at whether a new online self-help programme or standard advice is better at helping people to prevent weight gain and support their emotional wellbeing.
How will we do this?
We will do this by running a research study (called a trial). We will recruit participants and randomly assign them into one of two groups: one group receives ‘SWiM’; and one group receives standard advice materials. We will ask all participants to complete an online questionnaire at the beginning of the study and at 4 months so we can measure changes in weight and other outcomes. After the study ends, we will also interview a small sample of participants over the telephone to find out about their experience of the SWiM programme and the study.
Who can take part?
Recruitment to the SWiM-C study has now finished. Many thanks to everyone who contacted us to enquire about participating in this study, and enabled us to reach our recruitment target.
SWiM-C recruited adults (aged over 18 years) in the UK and Ireland with overweight/obesity and access to weighing scales at home.
If you would like to learn more about the SWiM-C study you can read the Participant Information Sheet below.
SWiM-C participant newsletters