AchieveTogether

Description:

Achieve Together is an online program designed to promote healthy weight-loss and weight maintenance.  Based on information you provide about yourself, the program suggests habits to help you lose/maintain your weight.  The program includes video and text-based stories from others who have used these  habits – giving you ideas about how to use them in your day-to-day life.  You are prompted to choose one ‘habit’ to focus on at a time and set yourself goals.  You complete regular short-assessments to track your progress and receive personalised feedback via email. 

Service URL:

https://achievetogether.com:10444

Agency Responsible:

Penn State University Hershey Medical Center.

Details

Format:

Website.

Intervention Type:

Educational (primarily educational material or psychoeducation).

Course Length:

Moderate (2-5 modules).

Support Option:

Automated only.

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Weight and Obesity. Weight-loss and weight maintenance

Target Audience:

Adult.

Language:

English.

Access

Fee:

Free.

Access:

Closed: Email administrator. Visitors can access the site but the program is not currently accepting new registrations

Contact Details:

Via online form (click 'contact us' at the bottom of the homepage)

Research evidence

Research Trials:

1

Research RCTs:

1

Outcome Summary:

AchieveTogether has been evaluated in one randomised controlled study. Participants were randomly assigned to either the AchieveTogether intervention group or a wait-list control group. Participants in the intervention group were asked to access the site at least once per week for 12 weeks. Following this 12 week period, there was a significant difference in weight change between the two groups. While participants in the intervention group had a mean weight loss of 1.4g, participants in the control group had a mean weight gain of 0.6kg (p<0.01). Such findings provide evidence in support of AchieveTogether's effectiveness in promoting weight loss, at least in the short-term.

Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

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Research paper citations

Kraschnewski, J.L. et al (2011) Efficacy of a weight-loss website based on positive deviance. A randomized trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41(6): 610-614