It’s winter–and admittedly, you’ve piled on some weight.
Trying to trim down during the season’s colder months can prove more difficult however, according to health experts.
Luckily, there’s a new way to fight the battle against the bulge.
According to a new study from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, people who used diet mobile apps lost more weight than those who didn’t use any form of online support–helping them lose 3 pounds more over a 6 to 12 month period.
As for the reason why, researcher Tanika Kelly says she has the answer.
“In conjunction with reducing caloric intake and increasing physical activity, mobile messaging services could help to maintain and sustain weight loss over time,” says Kelly, who is an associate professor of Epidemiology at Tulane University. “It reminds us to continue our good behaviors. Using one of the many mobile apps with daily text messages or videos incites the user to think about dieting and eating well.”
The Findings
The study, now reported in the journal Circulation, initially started thanks to one of Kelly’s students, Fangchao Liu, who organized a meta-analysis on a group of weight loss studies. For this meta-analysis, Liu focused on people who used mobile phone apps while trying to slim down–something often advertised to help people lose more weight.
Was that the case here?
Analyzing 14 studies, Liu found that people who used mobile apps consistently lost more weight, though admittedly the findings are “modest,” he admits. Those who used these apps lost an average of over 3 pounds over a 6 to 12 month period, consistently more than those who didn’t use their smartphones to lose weight.
Though the weight loss achieved wasn’t huge, these changes could still make a big difference when it comes to a person’s health, says Kelly.
“Obesity and being overweight is a major global health challenge because of the direct link to cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” says Kelly. “Even modest levels of sustained weight loss can yield substantial reductions in weight-related morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs.”
So should you try mobile apps? Absolutely, say researchers–but keep in mind that it helps you lose more weight, not help you lose weight in the first place. If you’re not already on a diet plan, these apps won’t suddenly kick start your weight loss.
“Body weight management is so important that even modest levels of sustained weight loss could yield substantial reductions in weight related morbidity, mortality, and health care costs,” write researchers. “These findings provide evidence that mobile phone intervention may be a useful tool for both short term and sustained weight loss among overweight and obese adults.”
Overall, researchers say this should be used as a tool to continue losing weight–as it reminds you to stay on track with your health goals.
Readers: Have you tried mobile apps to lose weight before?
Sources:
Can Your Cellphone Help You Lose Weight? – ScienceDaily.com
Obesity in CVD [Cardiovascular Disease] Risk and Prevention III – AHAJournals.org
Can Your New Cellphone Help You Lose Weight? – Tulane.edu
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