Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study
Abstract BackgroundAdherence to weight management strategies may be undermined where lengthy strategy explanations limit engagement and understanding, weakening intervention efficacy. By contrast, implementation intentions have been shown to promote adherence across various he...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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JMIR Publications
2025-08-01
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| Series: | JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| Online Access: | https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e65260 |
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| author | Khaleda Ahmadyar Joanna Szypula Angeliki Bogosian Katy Tapper |
| author_facet | Khaleda Ahmadyar Joanna Szypula Angeliki Bogosian Katy Tapper |
| author_sort | Khaleda Ahmadyar |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Abstract
BackgroundAdherence to weight management strategies may be undermined where lengthy strategy explanations limit engagement and understanding, weakening intervention efficacy. By contrast, implementation intentions have been shown to promote adherence across various health behaviors.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the impact of explanation length and implementation intentions on adherence to brief weight management strategies.
MethodsParticipants (N=200) with a BMI above 25 and an interest in losing weight were recruited from a commercial digital weight management service provider. Participants received information about 1 of 4 weight management strategies on a smartphone app in either a brief or detailed format and were asked to plan their use of the strategy with implementation intentions or were given tips on strategy use. Participants received daily prompts over a 2-week period to report whether they used their assigned strategy. Proposed moderators (need for cognition and planning skills) were measured at baseline.
ResultsStrategy adherence was greater with brief information (mean 74%, SD 23%) compared with detailed information (mean 69%, SD 23%); however, this small effect size (Cohen dPPPP
ConclusionsShorter explanation length and implementation intentions (in poorer planners) may enhance adherence to brief weight management strategies, and further investigation is required to confirm these effects. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a4c423502ea640b19e02d683f66dd09d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2291-5222 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| spelling | doaj-art-a4c423502ea640b19e02d683f66dd09d2025-08-20T03:46:37ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR mHealth and uHealth2291-52222025-08-0113e65260e6526010.2196/65260Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental StudyKhaleda Ahmadyarhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-6993-1469Joanna Szypulahttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-6241-962XAngeliki Bogosianhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-1244-6387Katy Tapperhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-9097-6311 Abstract BackgroundAdherence to weight management strategies may be undermined where lengthy strategy explanations limit engagement and understanding, weakening intervention efficacy. By contrast, implementation intentions have been shown to promote adherence across various health behaviors. ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the impact of explanation length and implementation intentions on adherence to brief weight management strategies. MethodsParticipants (N=200) with a BMI above 25 and an interest in losing weight were recruited from a commercial digital weight management service provider. Participants received information about 1 of 4 weight management strategies on a smartphone app in either a brief or detailed format and were asked to plan their use of the strategy with implementation intentions or were given tips on strategy use. Participants received daily prompts over a 2-week period to report whether they used their assigned strategy. Proposed moderators (need for cognition and planning skills) were measured at baseline. ResultsStrategy adherence was greater with brief information (mean 74%, SD 23%) compared with detailed information (mean 69%, SD 23%); however, this small effect size (Cohen dPPPP ConclusionsShorter explanation length and implementation intentions (in poorer planners) may enhance adherence to brief weight management strategies, and further investigation is required to confirm these effects.https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e65260 |
| spellingShingle | Khaleda Ahmadyar Joanna Szypula Angeliki Bogosian Katy Tapper Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| title | Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study |
| title_full | Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study |
| title_short | Effects of Information Length and Implementation Intentions on Adherence to Weight Management Strategies: Experimental Study |
| title_sort | effects of information length and implementation intentions on adherence to weight management strategies experimental study |
| url | https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e65260 |
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