Obesity is a major health problem that has reached epidemic levels. Efforts are needed to develop cost-effective public health approaches for weight loss and maintenance. One such approach is to develop team-based programs that may motivate people to lose weight and/or increase their physical activity. One such program is entitled Shape-up Rhode Island (SURI). The purpose of this project is to evaluate the overall effectiveness of SURI and to test if a behavioral intervention can enhance the effectiveness of the original program. The current trial is investigating whether adding a behavioral intervention delivered online would enhance the outcomes of SURI participants.

Background: Given the epidemic of obesity, approaches to weight loss that can be applied on a community, state, or national level are needed. This project is an ongoing evaluation of Shape Up Rhode Island (SURI) program, a state-wide Internet based program involving team-based competition to increase physical activity and achieve weight loss.

Aim: To enhance the effectiveness of SURI utilizing a minimal contact intervention delivered online.

Design: SURI 2008 participants were invited to join a research study focusing on weight loss. Interested participants were randomized to two groups including a SURI Enhanced (behavioral intervention presented in 12 weekly online presentations) or a SURI Standard group (group given a list of previously existing online resources to aid with weight loss).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Overweight or obese
• Current participant in the Shape Up RI program weight loss competition

Exclusion Criteria:

• None