Monthly Phone Coaching Sustains Weight Loss for 20 Months as Algorithmic Extra Calls Fall Short

An NIH-funded randomized trial of 255 adults using digital tools found average losses of 8% with about 60% maintaining at least 5%.

Overview

JAMA Network Open published the findings on September 22, 2025.
After a 16-week weight-loss program, adults who had lost at least 5% entered a 20-month maintenance trial.
Participants used smartphone apps and digital scales and received support from trained health coaches by phone.
The study compared fixed monthly check-ins with an adaptive model that added calls when an algorithm flagged higher relapse risk, and outcomes were equivalent.
Authors say the results support long-term, chronic-disease–style obesity care and plan further work to refine prediction algorithms; the study was funded by the NIH.