TY  - JOUR
AU  - Flores Mateo, Gemma
AU  - Granado-Font, Esther
AU  - Ferré-Grau, Carme
AU  - Montaña-Carreras, Xavier
PY  - 2015
DA  - 2015/11/10
TI  - Mobile Phone Apps to Promote Weight Loss and Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
JO  - J Med Internet Res
SP  - e253
VL  - 17
IS  - 11
KW  - mHealth
KW  - mobile phone
KW  - apps
KW  - obesity
KW  - physical activity
KW  - intervention
AB  - 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/m2) of -1.04 kg (95% CI -1.75 to -0.34; I2 = 41%) and -0.43 kg/m2 (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. 
SN  - 1438-8871
UR  - http://www.jmir.org/2015/11/e253/
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4836
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26554314
DO  - 10.2196/jmir.4836
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/jmir.4836
ER  -