ACTonHEALTH study protocol: promoting psychological flexibility with activity tracker and mHealth tools to foster healthful lifestyle for obesity and other chronic health conditions.

BACKGROUND Obesity and the state of being overweight are increasing steadily and becoming a global epidemic Recent research reports 64 of the adult population as overweight in Europe and the USA The social and economic impacts are increasing and most of the rehabilitation programs while effective in the short term do not produce long lasting results An explanatory model from a behavioral perspective can describe the phenomena with the lack of sources of reinforcement related to healthful habits in a daily life context METHODS DESIGN A randomized clinical trial combining single subject studies and a four arm group design will be conducted to compare the effect of the current standard in obesity treatment to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT and wearable technology at different times before starting intervention at the end and at follow up visits of 3 6 and 12 months measuring changes over time of physical activity and psychological well being DISCUSSION The goal of this project combining ACT and wearable technology is to develop an effective intervention efficient and sustainable which even after discharge can provide adequate contingencies of reinforcement in the natural environment integrating systematic measurements continuous feedback and individualized values based objectives The intervention is aimed to provide a contingent reinforcement for healthful behaviors instead of reinforcing only the achievement of a significant weight loss The aim of the project combining Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Wearable Technology is to develop an effective efficient and sustainable intervention able to provide a contingent reinforcement for healthy behaviors The intervention is aimed to promote adequate healthy behaviors in the natural environment integrating systematic measurements continuous feedback and individualized values based objectives instead of reinforcing only the achievement of a significant weight loss TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials gov NCT03351712 Registered on 24 November 2017