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The use of smartphone healthcare applications for weight loss is gaining popularity. Researchers from University of Tsukuba performed an exploratory analysis to examine the characteristics of individuals who successfully lost weight using a healthcare application during a 3-month intervention. The study revealed that individuals without a prior walking habit at the beginning of the weight loss period experienced greater weight loss after using the application.

Tsukuba, Japan—Obesity, a significant risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, poses a considerable global public health challenge. Among the various strategies to combat obesity, weight loss interventions that offer lifestyle modification guidance through web-based services have attracted attention. Among these, diet and exercise interventions facilitated by smartphone healthcare apps have emerged as an effective method for weight loss. As the actual impact on weight loss varies among individuals, this study explores the characteristics of successful users of weight loss apps.

This study was a secondary analysis of data from a previous randomized controlled trial performed by the same research group, which evaluated the effectiveness of healthcare apps. This analysis focused on 68 overweight or obese adults who had been assigned to the intervention group using the app. Participants who lost 3% of their initial weight were classified as successful weight losers. The analysis aimed to identify associations between participants' characteristics at the start of the weight loss period, their app usage in the first week, and successful weight loss. The results indicated that individuals who did not have a walking habit at baseline were more likely to achieve successful weight loss with the healthcare application. This occurred possibly because these participants were more responsive to the application's notifications, which encouraged them to walk and increase their physical activity. Additionally, the study suggested that a slower walking speed and a family medical history of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes could also be associated with successful weight loss.

The findings will contribute to the development and improvement of future healthcare applications.

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This research was based on a collaborative research agreement between the University of Tsukuba Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences and Link and Communication Inc. This research was supported by AMED under grant number JP23rea522107.

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Exploring determinants of successful weight loss with the use of a smartphone healthcare application: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial

Journal:

Nutrients

DOI:

10.3390/nu16132108

Correspondence

Professor NAKATA Yoshio
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Yutong Shi
Doctoral Program in Sports Medicine, Degree Programs in Comprehensive Human Sciences, Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba

SASAKI Yuki
CPHO (Chief Public Health Officer), Wellmira Inc.

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences