Efficacy of mHealth Applications Compared to Text Messaging in Weight Management in a Population Affected by Overweight or Obesity

Objectives: In the United States, overweight and obesity is an epidemic and a major public health concern as it contributes to and exacerbates diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Determining alternative weight loss strategies will be important for reducing overweight and obesity amongst all people. Mobile health (mHealth) applications for weight management can be a useful tool in monitoring self-management which is essential for prevention and treatment of obesity and weight management. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of mHeath app (Healthi) in reducing body weight and improving health knowledge and quality of life when compared to receiving health-related text messages for 12 weeks. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) pilot study, 16 participants (7 males, 9 females; mean age 33.9 ± 13.8 years; mean BMI 33.4 ± 4.3 kg/m2) either used the Healthi mobile app or received health-related text messages 2x/wk (control) for 12 weeks. Participants weighed themselves daily, and at baseline and week 12, participants used the Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour (ASA24®) Dietary Assessment Tool to provide a 24-hour food recall and completed the World Health Organization Quality of Life survey and a weight management and nutrition knowledge questionnaire. Results: Both the Healthi app and text messaging improved weight management and nutrition knowledge (p = 0.004); and, more specifically, both groups improved their knowledge in the energy density related questions (p = 0.026) and portion size related questions (p = 0.030). Both groups ate less kcals (p = 0.0006), fat (p = 0.006), and sugar (p = 0.008) compared to baseline. There were no significant differences in BMI or quality of life either between groups or over time. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggest that although the Healthi app can improve some health outcomes, the app did not significantly differ from receiving health-related text messages biweekly. More RCT with larger sample sizes on weight loss apps, such as Healthi, are necessary to determine their effectiveness. Funding Sources: Kasch-Boyer Endowed Scholarship, Thomas L. McKenzie Scholarship, CHHS Grad Student Research Award and San Diego State University Seed Grant Program.