Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: To our knowledge, no meta-analysis to date has assessed the efficacy of mobile phone apps to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to compare the efficacy of mobile phone apps compared with other approaches to promote weight loss and increase physical activity. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies identified by a search of PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and Scopus from their inception through to August 2015. Two members of the study team (EG-F, GF-M) independently screened studies for inclusion criteria and extracted data. We included all controlled studies that assessed a mobile phone app intervention with weight-related health measures (ie, body weight, body mass index, or waist circumference) or physical activity outcomes. Net change estimates comparing the intervention group with the control group were pooled across studies using random-effects models. RESULTS: We included 12 articles in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, use of a mobile phone app was associated with significant changes in body weight (kg) and body mass index (kg/m(2)) of -1.04 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.34; I2 = 41%) and -0.43 kg/m(2) (95% CI -0.74 to -0.13; I2 = 50%), respectively. Moreover, a nonsignificant difference in physical activity was observed between the two groups (standardized mean difference 0.40, 95% CI -0.07 to 0.87; I2 = 93%). These findings were remarkably robust in the sensitivity analysis. No publication bias was shown. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from this study shows that mobile phone app-based interventions may be useful tools for weight loss.
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Several meta-analyses found that digital health interventions' effects on physical activity were not statistically significant.
“Yet several meta-analyses found these effects were not statistically significant (23, 24).”
A systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated reductions in BMI of 0.43 kg/m2 (95% CI −0.74 to −0.13) with mobile apps to improve weight loss and physical activity outcomes.
“A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies investigating the effect of mobile apps to improve weight loss and physical activity outcomes demonstrated reductions in BMI of 0.43 kg/m2 (95% CI −0.74 to −0.13) with much greater weight loss seen when the devices were used optimally.”
From What is the clinical value of mHealth for patients? (2020) · cites this paper as [10]
Digital technology-based programs have resulted in increased physical activity and reduced body weight, at least for a short duration.
“Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses [15–19] have shown that these digital technology-based programs resulted in increased PA and reduced body weight, at least for a short duration.”
From A systematic review of artificial intelligence chatbots for promoting physical activity, healthy diet, and weight loss (2021) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Flores Mateo, G., Granado-Font, E., Ferré-Grau, C., & Montaña-Carreras, X.
- Venue
- Journal of Medical Internet Research
- Publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- Published
- 2015-11-10
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- e253
- ISSN
- 1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4704965
- OpenAlex
- W2123420688
- Cited by
- 540
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 66 · 2021: 77 · 2020: 80 · 2019: 77 · 2018: 57 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 7.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Mobile Learning in Education
- Keywords
- mobile phone app, weight loss, physical activity, body mass index, body weight, waist circumference, digital health interventions, obesity
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Motor Activity, Obesity, Weight Loss, Cell Phone, Mobile Applications
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