Research Symposium

BIO

Arden is junior from Atlanta, Georgia, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Criminology. She is a member of Order of Omega Honors Society, Psi Chi Honors Society, and the Spring Lab at Florida State University. She is interested in understanding the psychological and social factors that influence behavior, with a particular interest in abnormal psychology and mental health. She plans on going to graduate school to specialize in forensic psychology, relationship psychology, or neurodivergent psychology. She hopes to help others improve both mental and physical health to promote their overall well-being and healthy lifestyles.

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: SMARTer Research Study: Weight-Loss Study