The Study
Efficacy of an Online Weight Loss Program for Mexican Adults: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial
This study is like a fair test where half the people got a special online weight-loss program and half didn’t. The ones who got the program lost more weight, so we think the program probably helped. But we can’t say for sure it’s the only reason, because not everyone stayed in the study.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Scientists tested a free online weight loss program for adults in Mexico who were overweight, using videos, chat counseling, and a Facebook group.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 579 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Losing 5% of body weight can improve health risks like diabetes and high blood pressure — so this program helped a meaningful number of people reach that goal.
- 2People who used the program lost about 5.5 kg (12 pounds) on average over 6 months.
- 335% of them lost more than 5% of their starting weight.
- 4No one in the group that didn't get the program lost weight.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Obesity Science & Practice
Year
2026
Authors
Alma Lorena Ruelas Yanes, T. Martínez-Contreras, M. Candia-Plata, Julián Esparza-Romero, A. Mata-Pineda, A. Ornelas-Vargas, R. G. Díaz-Zavala, M. Haby
Related Content
Claims (6)
In a study of Mexican adults with overweight or obesity, 35% of those who completed a 6-month online lifestyle program lost more than 5% of their starting weight, while none of those in the control group did.
Online weight loss programs based on the Diabetes Prevention Program lead to the same amount of weight loss in Mexican adults with overweight or obesity as in-person weight loss programs.
In Mexican adults with overweight or obesity, a 6-month online weight loss program lowered body mass index, waist size, and body fat percentage, but did not change systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, blood lipids, or most quality of life measures after 3 or 6 months.
In a study of Mexican adults with overweight or obesity, a digital weight loss program delivered through Facebook Messenger and a custom platform kept 60% of participants engaged for six months, which matched retention rates seen in other digital weight loss programs.
Mexican adults with overweight or obesity who completed a 6-month digital lifestyle program lost an average of 5.5 kilograms more than those who did not receive the program.
Losing one kilogram of body weight lowers systolic blood pressure by about 1 mm Hg.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.