Game of stones is designed for men because men rarely attend the weight loss services that are on offer. A small study in 2017 showed text messages, with and without incentives, could help men lose weight and feel better. Now we are doing a bigger study to answer the questions:- Does Game of Stones really help men lose weight and keep it off?- Who does it help most?- What are the costs and benefits for men and the NHS? Recruitment finished in 2022, with 585 men joining from Bristol, Glasgow and Northern Ireland. Participants were allocated by random to one of three groups at the start. Some groups were seen at 3 and 6 months after this, and all groups are being followed up at 12 and 24 months after joining. All three groups are important to help us find out what works best for weight loss.
The results of the study will be published on this website in 2024. We will be giving talks in Belfast, Bristol and Glasgow which participants can attend and presentations at academic conferences about weight and health. You can keep up to date with the latest news on this website and via our newsletters (below).
Your contribution is really valuable. Remember every one of you is making important contributions to the results of this research study so please continue to attend your appointments and let us know if there is anything we can do to make attending easier for you.
Meet your area team:
Belfast
Bristol
Glasgow
Game of Stones is led by Professor Pat Hoddinott at the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, University of Stirling.
This trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Public Health Research Programme. Reference no: NIHR 129703. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
