Thesis (MNutr)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Obesity has become one of the major conditions contributing towards chronic lifestyle diseases. The management of obesity, in order to prevent chronic lifestyle disease, requires a combination of treatment modalities. There is therefore a constant need to search for innovative behavioural and awareness programmes regarding the treatment of obesity, and to develop innovative strategies to improve compliance and ultimately to change lifestyles. The notion of utilizing short message services (SMS), during a weight reduction progamme to provide regular reminders and information to achieve the aforementioned goals, was therefore used as an intervention in the study. Furthermore a questionnaire validating the effectiveness of the short message service was devised and completed by the recipients of the intervention. The purpose of the questionnaire was to statistically quantify the effectiveness of the SMS as an intervention. Each question had four graded answers, with a score allocated to each - 1 being the least effective and 4 being the most. These values were converted to percentages and according to these percentages a rating of effectiveness was ascertained. Ultimately the study set out to determine whether the intervention had a statistically significant effect on weight reduction, compliance in attending appointments and on the attrition rate. This was a double blinded randomized, controlled study in which 75 participants were recruited at a general medical practice in Gauteng. The sample comprised of three groups. Group 1 (N = 25) had no intervention; Group 2 (N = 25) received a SMS weekly and Group 3 (N = 25) received a SMS three times per week. The weight reduction programme, which included dietary modifications and lifestyle advice was standardized and remained the same for each group. The programme extended over a 12 week period and the questionnaire was completed at the end of the programme. Upon analysis of the results there was a decrease in the mean BMI and waist circumference for all the three groups, with no statistically significant difference (p-value > 0.05) between them. The percentages of the participants completing the programme in each group were – Group 1: 44%, Group 2: 60% and Group 3: 68%. The effectiveness of the intervention was manifested by the compliance of attendance at each visit and the reduced attrition rate in the intervention groups, although this was not found to be statistically significant. The analysis of the scores allocated to the responses of the questionnaire, equated to an outcome of above 75% and was assessed as being very successful in both the intervention groups. In conclusion the use of short message servicing in this weight reduction programme improved the compliance and reduced the attrition rate although not statistically and was perceived by the participants as a successful intervention. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Vetsug (obesiteit) het een van die primêre kondisies geword wat bydrae tot chroniese leefstyl siektes. Die hantering van obesiteit vereis 'n kombinasie van behandelingsmodaliteite, ten einde hierdie siektes te voorkom, Daar is dus 'n konstante soeke na innoverende gedrags- en bewustheidsprogramme rakende die behandeling van obesiteit, asook 'n behoefte om innoverende strategieë te ontwikkel om inskiklikheid te verbeter en uiteindelik leefstyle te verander. Die idee om kortboodskapdienste (SMS) gedurende 'n gewigsverliesprogramme te gebruik om gereelde aanmanings en inligting te kommunikeer ten einde die genoemde doelwitte te bereik, is aangewend as intervensie in hierdie studie. 'n Vraelys is ontwikkel wat die effektiwiteit van die kortboodskapdiens valideer, en is voltooi deur die ontvangers van die intervensie. Die doel van die vraelys was om die effektiwiteit van die SMS as 'n intervensie te kwantifiseer. Elke vraag het vier gegradeerde antwoorde gehad, met 'n telling wat aan elk toegeken is – 1 wat aandui minste effektief en 4 wat aandui die meeste. Hierdie waardes was omgeskakel tot persentasies en na aanleiding van die persentasies is 'n waarde van effektiwiteit bepaal. Uiteindelik was die doel van die studie dus om vas te stel of die intervensie ʼn statisties beduidende effek op gewigsverlies, die nakom van afsprake en uitvalskoerse het. Hierdie was 'n dubbelblind, ewekansige gekontroleerde studie waarin 75 deelnemers gewerf was by 'n algemene mediese praktyk in Gauteng. Die steekproef het bestaan uit 3 groepe. Groep 1 (N = 25) het geen intervensie gehad nie; Groep 2 (N = 25) het 'n weeklikse SMS ontvang en Groep 3 (N = 25) het 'n SMS ontvang drie keer per week. Die gewigsverliesprogramme, wat dieetaanpassings en leefstyl advies ingesluit het, was gestandardiseer en het dieselfde gebly vir elke groep. Die programme het gestrek oor 'n 12 weke periode en die vraelys was voltooi aan die einde van die programme. Analise van die resultate het 'n afname getoon in die gemiddelde LMI (Liggaamsmassa indeks) en middelomtrek vir al drie groepe, met geen statisties beduidende verskil (p-waarde > 0.05) tussen groepe nie. Die persentasies van die deelnemers wat die programme voltooi het in elke groep was Groep 1: 44%, Groep 2: 60% en Groep 3: 68%. Die effektiwiteit van die intervensie was gemanifesteer deur die inskiklikheid van bywoning tydens elke besoek en die verlaagde uitvalkoers in die intervensie groepe, alhoewel dit nie statisties beduidend was nie. 'n Analise van die tellings geallokeer aan die response tot die vraeslys, dui 'n uitkoms aan van bo 75% en was beskou as baie suksesvol in albei die intervensie groepe. Die gebruik van kortboodskapdienste (SMS) in hierdie gewigsverliesprogramme het inskiklikheid verbeter en uitvalskoerse verlaag, alhoewel nie statisties beduidend nie, en was deur die deelnemers beskou as 'n suksesvolle intervensie.