| Summary: | Abstract
BackgroundOverweight and obesity have become a public health issue. Lifestyle modifications delivered through mobile devices, especially mobile phones, present an opportunity to support weight loss efforts. However, evidence regarding the effects of mobile apps on other outcomes, such as blood pressure and physical activity (PA), remains limited. Recent studies on this topic require a systematic review and updating, and the active elements that promote behavior change remain unclear.
ObjectiveThe meta-analysis aimed to explore the effects of mobile phone apps on weight-related outcomes (weight, BMI, waist circumference [WC], fat mass, fat mass percentage), behavioral outcomes (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity [MVPA], energy intake), and metabolic outcomes (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], triglycerides, hemoglobin A1c1c
MethodsSix databases (PubMed, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CINAHL) were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in English from inception to May 20, 2024. Two independent authors conducted study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. The effect size of interventions was calculated using the mean difference (MD), and a random-effects model was applied for data analysis. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were conducted to explore potential influencing factors and identify possible sources of heterogeneity.
ResultsA total of 29 studies were included. The results indicated that mobile phone app interventions significantly reduced weight (MD=−1.45 kg, 95% CI −2.01 to −0.89; P2PPPP1cP
ConclusionsThis meta-analysis demonstrates that mobile phone app interventions significantly reduce weight, BMI, WC, fat mass, DBP, and HbA1c
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