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Adherence to Daily Diet Monitoring using One of Three Commercial Diet Apps via Smart Phones was Associated with Significant Weight Loss in Healthy Overweight Adults Irrespective of the Diet App
Author(s) -
Johnston Carol,
ThompsonFelty Claudia
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.597.8
Subject(s) - weight loss , overweight , medicine , mobile apps , self monitoring , body weight , smartphone app , randomized controlled trial , obesity , psychology , social psychology , internet privacy , world wide web , computer science
Self‐monitoring of dietary intake is a successful weight loss and weight maintenance strategy. The traditional paper/pencil method of self‐monitoring is rapidly being replaced by technology, specifically the use of diet apps on smart phones and iPads. We recently demonstrated that participants in a structured weight loss trial randomized to a diet app group were more consistent in recording dietary intake than those using a paper/pencil method of recording dietary intake (77% vs 55% of days tracked). In the present study, 30 healthy overweight adults (28.0 ± 8.7 y; 31.4 ± 6.4 kg/m 2 ), were randomly assigned to follow one of three different commercial diet apps for 8 weeks. Participants received no dietary guidance aside from that provided via the assigned app. Body weight change did not vary significantly between groups during the trial (+0.2 ± 2.9, +0.7 ± 2.3, and ‐0.2 ± 2.5 kg; p=0.749). Mean adherence to daily diet monitoring ranged from 50‐69% of days and did not differ between groups. However, across all app groups, weight loss was related to diet monitoring adherence (r=‐0.522, p=0.004). Moreover, participants who adhered to daily diet monitoring 蠅60% of days (n=13) lost body weight compared to those who adhered less (n=15) (‐1.2 ± 2.5 and +1.5 ± 1.7 kg respectively; p=0.006). These data suggest that the act of consistently monitoring dietary intake and not the app content itself was associated with weight loss success. These data support the social cognitive theory of self‐regulation that human behavior is regulated by the ongoing exercise of self‐influence: for successful behavior change, individuals must pay adequate attention to their own actions and their consequences.