Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program
Summary Objective Minimizing program dropout is essential for weight‐loss success, but factors that influence dropout among commercial programs are unclear. This study's objective was to determine factors associated with early dropout in a commercial weight‐loss program. Methods A retrospective...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Obesity Science & Practice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.304 |
| _version_ | 1818060977968513024 |
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| author | E. Alexander E. Tseng N. Durkin G. J. Jerome A. Dalcin L. J. Appel J. M. Clark K. A. Gudzune |
| author_facet | E. Alexander E. Tseng N. Durkin G. J. Jerome A. Dalcin L. J. Appel J. M. Clark K. A. Gudzune |
| author_sort | E. Alexander |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Summary Objective Minimizing program dropout is essential for weight‐loss success, but factors that influence dropout among commercial programs are unclear. This study's objective was to determine factors associated with early dropout in a commercial weight‐loss program. Methods A retrospective analysis of a remotely delivered, employer‐based commercial program from 2013 to 2016 was conducted. The dependent variable was ‘early dropout’, defined as enrollees who disengaged from telephone coaching by month 2's end. Independent variables included demographics, program website engagement and early weight change. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess for differences in early dropout by several factors, adjusted for employer clustering. Results Of the 5,274 participants, 26.8% dropped out early. Having ≥1 chronic condition (odds ratio [OR] 1.41, p < 0.001) and ‘weight‐loss failure’ defined as ≥0% weight change at month 1's end (OR 1.86, p < 0.001) had significantly increased odds of early dropout. Increasing age by 10‐year intervals (OR 0.90, p = 0.002) and ‘meeting the website login goal’ defined as ≥90 logins in 3 months (OR 0.13, p < 0.001) significantly decreased the odds of early dropout. Conclusions Presence of comorbidities, less online engagement and weight‐loss failure were associated with early dropout in a commercial program. Strategies to prevent dropout among high‐risk participants, such as increased support or program tailoring, should be developed and tested. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:41:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-358523f55e90482392d48a3f41c51893 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2055-2238 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:41:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Obesity Science & Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-358523f55e90482392d48a3f41c518932022-12-22T01:46:41ZengWileyObesity Science & Practice2055-22382018-12-014654555310.1002/osp4.304Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss programE. Alexander0E. Tseng1N. Durkin2G. J. Jerome3A. Dalcin4L. J. Appel5J. M. Clark6K. A. Gudzune7Department of Health Policy and Management The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Baltimore MD USADivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore MD USAThe Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research Baltimore MD USAThe Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research Baltimore MD USADivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore MD USADivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore MD USADivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore MD USADivision of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Baltimore MD USASummary Objective Minimizing program dropout is essential for weight‐loss success, but factors that influence dropout among commercial programs are unclear. This study's objective was to determine factors associated with early dropout in a commercial weight‐loss program. Methods A retrospective analysis of a remotely delivered, employer‐based commercial program from 2013 to 2016 was conducted. The dependent variable was ‘early dropout’, defined as enrollees who disengaged from telephone coaching by month 2's end. Independent variables included demographics, program website engagement and early weight change. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess for differences in early dropout by several factors, adjusted for employer clustering. Results Of the 5,274 participants, 26.8% dropped out early. Having ≥1 chronic condition (odds ratio [OR] 1.41, p < 0.001) and ‘weight‐loss failure’ defined as ≥0% weight change at month 1's end (OR 1.86, p < 0.001) had significantly increased odds of early dropout. Increasing age by 10‐year intervals (OR 0.90, p = 0.002) and ‘meeting the website login goal’ defined as ≥90 logins in 3 months (OR 0.13, p < 0.001) significantly decreased the odds of early dropout. Conclusions Presence of comorbidities, less online engagement and weight‐loss failure were associated with early dropout in a commercial program. Strategies to prevent dropout among high‐risk participants, such as increased support or program tailoring, should be developed and tested.https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.304Commercial weight‐loss programdropout |
| spellingShingle | E. Alexander E. Tseng N. Durkin G. J. Jerome A. Dalcin L. J. Appel J. M. Clark K. A. Gudzune Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program Obesity Science & Practice Commercial weight‐loss program dropout |
| title | Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program |
| title_full | Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program |
| title_fullStr | Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program |
| title_full_unstemmed | Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program |
| title_short | Factors associated with early dropout in an employer‐based commercial weight‐loss program |
| title_sort | factors associated with early dropout in an employer based commercial weight loss program |
| topic | Commercial weight‐loss program dropout |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.304 |
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