Do you want to lose weight?
Are you ready to try something new?

Partner2Lose is a weight management study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that will compare two ways for losing weight: alone vs. with  support from your partner.

We are not currently enrolling couples into this 2-year program, but we will begin again in July 2019.

If you would like to be put on the list to be contacted when we begin enrolling again in July, please go to the Contact Information Collection Form

This study may be a good fit if:

You are:

• 18-74 years old
• currently overweight
• not pregnant or breastfeeding
• living with a partner/significant other

Both you and your partner:

• have individual smart phones with data and texting plan (this study will use smart phone apps and text messages as tools to help you during the study)
• have individual email address
• are willing to participate with your partner in 2-year, weight management program, including group classes and individual telephone calls

If you participate, you will be randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to one of two groups.

• Group 1 will complete the study with their partner attending the group classes and participating in the telephone calls.
• Group 2 will attend the classes and receive telephone calls by themselves.

In both groups, you and your  partner will be asked to come for in-person measurement visits every six months.

No matter which group you are assigned to, you will receive all classes and  telephone calls at no cost to you.  You will also receive a Fitbit watch (one per couple) and a resistance exercise band (one per couple). You and your partner may be compensated up to $180 ($360 per couple) for completing  study measurements.

What do I need to do to participate?

1. Complete an online screener (one for you and one for your partner) to see if you and your partner are a good fit for the study.

2. Attend a one-hour, in-person enrollment visit with your partner. At this visit you will have your height, weight and blood pressure measured (partner will not have a blood pressure taken). You both will be asked to complete surveys.

3. Attend  group classes every two weeks for 6 months You will attend the first group session by yourself and find out whether your partner will be attending subsequent sessions with you or if you will be attending them by yourself. Both you and your partner will need to be available at the times the groups will be offered as we will not know which group you will be assigned to ahead of time.

4. Participate in individual telephone calls. In months 7-12 you will receive one telephone call per month. In months 13-18 you will receive a telephone call every other month.

5. Attend in-person measurement visits with your partner every six months where you will have your weight measured and complete questionnaires/surveys. These visits will be scheduled at month 6, 12, 18 and 24. You will be paid $40 each at visits 6, 12 and 18 and $60 each at the 24 month measurement visit for a total of $180 each.

6. Complete questionnaires/surveys in months 3, 9, 15 and 21. You will receive a link to the questionnaires/surveys via e-mail so that you can complete them at home, on your own.

Both your partner and you will need to complete an online screener to see if you are able to participate in the study. You will need to complete your part first. Once you have completed your part, your partner will be emailed a link to their online screener.

Partner2Lose Study Timeline for Participants

Need more information? Please contact Kate at 608-890-2917 or partner2lose@surgery.wisc.edu