Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Gemma Flores Mateo, Esther Granado-Font, Carme Ferré-Grau, Xavier Montaña-Carreras, Gemma Flores Mateo, Esther Granado-Font, Carme Ferré-Grau, Xavier Montaña-Carreras

Abstract

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.

Keywords: apps; intervention; mHealth; mobile phone; obesity; physical activity.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart for the selection of the articles in this meta-analysis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Meta-analysis of the net change in body weight (kg) associated with mobile phone app intervention, expressed as the change during the mobile phone app intervention minus the change during the control diet. The area of each square is proportional to the inverse of the variance of the weighted mean difference. Horizontal lines represent 95% CIs. Diamonds represent pooled estimates from inverse variance (IV) weighted random-effects models.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Meta-analysis of the net change in BMI (kg/m2) associated with mobile phone app intervention, expressed as the change during the mobile app intervention minus the change during the control diet. The area of each square is proportional to the inverse of the variance of the weighted mean difference. Horizontal lines represent 95% CIs. Diamonds represent pooled estimates from inverse variance (IV) weighted random-effects models.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Meta-analysis of the net change in physical activity associated with mobile phone app intervention, expressed as the change during the mobile app intervention minus the change during the control intervention. The area of each square is proportional to the inverse of the variance of the standardized mean difference. Horizontal lines represent 95% CIs. Diamonds represent pooled estimates from inverse variance (IV) weighted random-effects models.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Summary of review authors’ assessments of risk of bias for each Cochrane item and each included study.

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