School of Medicine and Health Sciences Poster Presentations
In-Person Clinic-Based versus Smartphone Application-Based Plans for Weight Loss among the Overweight and Obese
Document Type
Poster
Keywords
Obesity, Smartphone, Weight loss, Weight control, Diabetes
Publication Date
Spring 4-2017
Abstract
Background: The prevalence of obesity in the United States (US) among adult men and women continues to rise. Obesity is a major health problem among the US population commonly increasing the risk of significant comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. While in-person interventions that address the dietary, exercise, and behavioral aspects of obesity are common, a new wave of weight loss strategies has emerged with a greater emphasis on technology and internet-based approaches._x000D_
Methods: This study compared the efficacy of a traditional in-person weight loss approach utilized by the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center to a weight loss treatment via the smartphone application (app), LoseIt!. It was hypothesized that the comparison between the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center protocol and the LoseIt! App program over a 12-week period would show no difference in the percent of actual weight loss compared to theoretical weight loss i.e., compliance. Using a case-control analysis, 92 Johns Hopkins patients were matched to 3,380 LoseIt! App participants based on gender, age, starting weight, starting BMI, caloric restriction level, and estimated total daily energy expenditure with light activity._x000D_
Results: Clinic patients achieved 94.1% of their theoretical weight loss compared to LoseIt! users who achieved 62.8% after matching. In addition, clinic patients achieved 10.5% total weight loss compared to LoseIt! users who lost 6.1% after matching. Overall, clinic patients showed a significantly greater percent of realized theoretical weight loss or compliance (mean = 28.6, SD = 9.6, p > 0.003) compared to LoseIt! users. Moreover, clinic patients showed a significantly greater percent of total weight loss (mean = 3.2, SD = 0.9, p > 0.001) compared to LoseIt! users._x000D_
Discussion: While weight loss programs are ubiquitous, historically, long-term compliance to these programs is often limited. We found that both clinic-based and technology-based weight loss programs provided a degree of weight loss success when participants are matched for demographic and biologic characteristics. These findings suggest that application-based weight loss programs may have a place in weight control. However, as shown here, they may not be as efficacious as a clinic-based intervention. Nonetheless, this technology may be particularly helpful as a cost-effective means for influencing patient dietary and exercise behaviors. Future studies should examine whether smartphone applications like LoseIt! would produce an additive benefit when used in combination with more traditional approaches to weight control.
Creative Commons License
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Open Access
1
In-Person Clinic-Based versus Smartphone Application-Based Plans for Weight Loss among the Overweight and Obese
Background: The prevalence of obesity in the United States (US) among adult men and women continues to rise. Obesity is a major health problem among the US population commonly increasing the risk of significant comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. While in-person interventions that address the dietary, exercise, and behavioral aspects of obesity are common, a new wave of weight loss strategies has emerged with a greater emphasis on technology and internet-based approaches._x000D_
Methods: This study compared the efficacy of a traditional in-person weight loss approach utilized by the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center to a weight loss treatment via the smartphone application (app), LoseIt!. It was hypothesized that the comparison between the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center protocol and the LoseIt! App program over a 12-week period would show no difference in the percent of actual weight loss compared to theoretical weight loss i.e., compliance. Using a case-control analysis, 92 Johns Hopkins patients were matched to 3,380 LoseIt! App participants based on gender, age, starting weight, starting BMI, caloric restriction level, and estimated total daily energy expenditure with light activity._x000D_
Results: Clinic patients achieved 94.1% of their theoretical weight loss compared to LoseIt! users who achieved 62.8% after matching. In addition, clinic patients achieved 10.5% total weight loss compared to LoseIt! users who lost 6.1% after matching. Overall, clinic patients showed a significantly greater percent of realized theoretical weight loss or compliance (mean = 28.6, SD = 9.6, p > 0.003) compared to LoseIt! users. Moreover, clinic patients showed a significantly greater percent of total weight loss (mean = 3.2, SD = 0.9, p > 0.001) compared to LoseIt! users._x000D_
Discussion: While weight loss programs are ubiquitous, historically, long-term compliance to these programs is often limited. We found that both clinic-based and technology-based weight loss programs provided a degree of weight loss success when participants are matched for demographic and biologic characteristics. These findings suggest that application-based weight loss programs may have a place in weight control. However, as shown here, they may not be as efficacious as a clinic-based intervention. Nonetheless, this technology may be particularly helpful as a cost-effective means for influencing patient dietary and exercise behaviors. Future studies should examine whether smartphone applications like LoseIt! would produce an additive benefit when used in combination with more traditional approaches to weight control.
Comments
Poster to be presented at GW Annual Research Days 2017.