Game of Stones

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You get involved in the content and you start following the script, they're very funny and me being a (from city name) you can see the funny side and you can see the wit in that, …. and that's what keeps you reading them. (210010, SMS only, 12 months) Every effort to admit latecomers will be made at a suitable break in the event, but admission cannot always be guaranteed. Acceptability and feasibility of recruitment, retention, intervention components and trial procedures assessed by analysing quantitative and qualitative data at 3, 6 and 12 months.

Overall, 177 men expressed an interest in the study. Baseline appointments were attended by 111 (63%), of which 6 (5%) were ineligible. All 105 men were willing to be randomised and consented to be randomised to the SMS+I (n=36), SMS only (n=33) and control (n=36) groups. We have handy hints available - a text hint and a photo hint. But beware! The more hints you use the more penalties are added to your time! Where does the Game Start? Some men sent spontaneous replies to the narrative texts (0–3 months n=25/69, 36%; 3–6 months n=8/69, 12%, 6–12 months n=13/69, 19%; see online supplementary 2). Most spontaneous replies were received between 0 and 3 months (n=370 replies) and decreased at 3–6 months (n=16 replies) and 6–12 months (n=39 replies). This three-arm weight management feasibility trial recruited and retained men from across the socioeconomic spectrum, with the majority from areas of disadvantage, was broadly acceptable to most participants and feasible to deliver. Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK

This interactive quest guides you via clues and riddles on your mobile phone - you'll go through graveyards, market squares and alleys in a magical journey across historic Richmond. An AWESOME day or night out with a difference, ideal for adults and families. Ideal for walking exercise, single play, romantic dates, mates, family fun and corporate team building. Complete the gameOfStones function in the editor below. It should return a string, either First or Second. The use of a financial incentive strategy for weight loss in men with obesity across the socioeconomic spectrum was feasible and acceptable. Two previous incentive studies used text messages to inform participants about their incentive achievement of weight loss targets and found it acceptable. 46 47 This extends the evidence base on the use of financial incentives as a complementary behaviour change strategy alongside other components. 22 50 Given the starting number of stones, find and print the name of the winner. is named First and is named Second. Each player plays optimally, meaning they will not make a move that causes them to lose the game if a winning move exists. THE CENTRE FOR HEALTHCARE RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS (CHaRT) at University of Aberdeen - Mark Forrest, Beatriz Goulao and Seonaidh Cotton

Game of Stones aims to find out if text messages (with and without cash incentives) can help men to lose weight over 1 year and keep it off for another year compared to a waiting list group. GAME OF STONES AIMS to find out if text messages (with and without cash incentives) can help men to lose weight over 1 year and keep it off for another year compared to a waiting list group. In Glasgow, the research fieldworkers are, Claire Torrens and Norelle Calder-MacPheesupported by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow Caledonian University, University of Glasgow and University of Stirling. Competing interests MG is director of Eos Digital Health Ltd, which holds all rights to DNA, The Digital Narrative Approach, deployed to design and write the narrative text intervention.

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Eleven participants (11/69, 16%) requested to no longer receive texts but asked to remain in the trial. Requests to stop narrative texts were similar in both groups (SMS+I=5/36, 14%; SMS only=6/33, 18%) and occurred throughout the study. Four participants (4/69, 6%) withdrew due to dislike of narrative texts between baseline and 3 months, two in each intervention group. Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Research Unit, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK The average BMI and age of the study participants of around 35 kg/m 2 and 50–55 years is similar to UK weight management trials recruiting in the community, 34 primary care 42 or a combination of community and primary care. 12 Three international text message-based weight management studies examining outcomes after 12 months recruited younger participants with lower BMI. 43–45 However, three mixed sex weight management studies with financial incentives (two including text message components) reported broadly similar participant demographics to this study. 46–48 A continuous and responsive approach to PPI was adopted to prepare the grant application and throughout the study, as described by Gamble and colleagues. 38

In Belfast, the research fieldworkers are Clare Jess and Christina O’Neill supported by Queen's University, Belfast and the Public Health Agency. No negative views were expressed about the incentives in qualitative interviews. Only one man reported being motivated by the financial incentive, and many expressed indifference. Participants reported the weight loss and health benefits as sufficiently rewarding. This interactive quest guides you via clues and riddles on your mobile phone - you'll go through graveyards, market squares and alleys in a magical journey across historic Kingston. An AWESOME day or night out with a difference, ideal for adults and families. Qualitative interviews at 3 and 12 months demonstrated varied views on the narrative texts. Participants’ views ranged from positive to indifferent to negative. Those who liked the narrative texts found the storyline entertaining, engaging and some participants felt a certain camaraderie for the main character:Two players called and are playing a game with a starting number of stones. Player always plays first, and the two players move in alternating turns. The game's rules are as follows: The money’s not that much of an issue. I think the incentive for me is the health that, at the end of the day, your health improves. That’s the most important incentive. The money, it’s fine, it’s there, but it’s not the incentive. (120022, SMS+I, 3 months)

The Game of Stones Trial is funded by NIHR Public Health Research [REF 129703] and has been approved by the North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee (2) [IRAS REF 290955]. Funding This report presents independent research commissioned by the NIHR. The views and opinions expressed by authors in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, the NIHR, MRC, CCF, NETSCC, the Public Health Research programme or the Department of Health. The views and opinions expressed by the interviewees in this publication are those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect those of the authors, those of the NHS, the NIHR, MRC, CCF, NETSCC, the Public Health Research programme or the Department of Health.The Nursing Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals Research Unit, the Health Services Research Unit and Health Economics Research Unit are funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate. The findings will be shared with the public, men’s health groups and health service staff through social media, blogs, reports, presentations and research papers.

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Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions Research Unit, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow, UK. van der Pol, M., McDonald, M., Collacott, H. et al. Designing financial incentives for health behaviour change: a mixed-methods case study of weight loss in men with obesity. Key questions this study will answer: Do men lose weight and keep it off? What are the costs and benefits for men and the NHS? Does the service help men who are less well-off as well as the more well-off? What are men’s experiences? For other participants, the frequency of texts became a source of irritation, the storyline did not resonate with their own experience nor could they empathise with the fictional characters: