Effectiveness of a smartphone application for weight loss compared with usual care in overweight primary care patients: a randomized, controlled trial.
Effectiveness of a smartphone application for weight loss compared with usual care in overweight primary care patients: a randomized, controlled trial.
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DOI：
10.7326/m13-3005
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发表时间：
2014-11-18
影响因子：
39.2
通讯作者：
Bell DS
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Laing BY;Mangione CM;Tseng CH;Leng M;Vaisberg E;Mahida M;Bholat M;Glazier E;Morisky DE;Bell DS
Tens of thousands of health-related smartphone applications (apps), including hundreds of weight loss apps, are available but little is known about the effectiveness of these programs. To evaluate the impact of introducing patients to a popular, free smartphone app for weight loss, MyFitnessPal, in a primary care setting. Randomized, controlled trial. Two primary care clinics in the University of California Los Angeles Health System. 212 primary care patients with body mass index greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2. 6 months of usual care (n = 107) or usual care plus research assistant help in downloading the MyFitnessPal app onto the patient’s smartphone (n = 105). Weight loss at six months (primary outcome), change in systolic blood pressure (SBP), change in behavioral mediators, satisfaction with the app, and frequency of app use (secondary outcomes). There was no significant difference between intervention and control groups in weight change (mean between group difference, −0.67 lb [CI, −3.3 to 2.1lb]; p = 0.63) or in SBP (mean between group difference, −1.7 mmHg [CI, −7.1 to 3.8]; p = 0.55). The intervention group exhibited increased use of a personal calorie goal compared to the control group (mean between group difference, 2.0 days per week [CI, 1.1 to 2.9]; p < .001), though changes in other self-reported behaviors did not differ between the groups. Most users reported high satisfaction with MyFitnessPal but logins dropped sharply after the first month. Despite blinding to the name of the app, fourteen control group participants (16%) used MyFitnessPal. 32% of intervention group participants and 19% of control group participants were lost to follow-up at 6 months. The app was given to patients by research assistants, not by physicians. Smartphone apps for weight loss may be useful for individuals who are ready to self-monitor calories. For the average overweight primary care patient, however, introducing a smartphone app is unlikely to produce significant weight change.
