Research Symposium

BIO

Nicholas Turoff is an undergraduate at Florida State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Finance with minors in Chemistry and Biology on the pre-medical track. He currently serves as a research assistant on the SMARTer Study at the FSU College of Medicine, which focuses on behavioral and lifestyle interventions related to weight management and health outcomes. Nicholas also works as an Emergency Medical Technician with the FSU's Medical Response Unit and with Gadsden County EMS, where he has observed disparities in rural healthcare access. His academic and research interests center on orthopedic surgery and developing sustainable systems to expand specialized care in underserved rural communities.

The SMARTer Trial: An Adaptive, Technology Assisted Approach to Behavioral Weight Loss

Abstract

Behavioral weight-loss programs such as the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) are effective but resource-intensive and difficult to scale to meet population-level needs. Adaptive, stepped-care interventions offer a potential solution by using prespecified decision rules to increase treatment intensity only for individuals who do not achieve early weight-loss targets. The SMARTer Weight Loss Management study is a three-arm, randomized controlled non-inferiority trial designed to evaluate whether an adaptive, technology-assisted intervention can achieve weight loss comparable to DPP at lower cost.
Adults with a BMI ≥25 kg/m² are randomized to one of three conditions: (1) an adaptive SMARTer intervention that includes app-based self-monitoring, wearable devices, and brief remote coaching with meal replacements for early non-responders; (2): a fixed DPP intervention delivered through structured educational materials and remote coaching sessions; or (3) a self-guided control condition that provides health education resources without ongoing coaching. Body weight is assessed at baseline and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow ups. The primary outcome is change in weight from baseline to 6 months. A micro-costing approach will compare cost and cost-effectiveness across study arms. Recruitment and data collection are ongoing.

Keywords: Spring Lab, Weight-loss