Accepted for/Published in: JMIR mHealth and uHealth
Date Submitted: Sep 21, 2018
Open Peer Review Period: Sep 25, 2018 - Nov 12, 2018
Date Accepted: Feb 12, 2019
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Effectiveness and feasibility of remote counselling by dietitians for overweight and obese adults: pilot study
ABSTRACT
Background:
To tackle the problem of obesity and related diseases in Switzerland cost-efficient, effective, innovative primary health care interventions for weight management are required. In this context Oviva has developed a scalable technology for dietitians to counsel overweight and obese patients via a smartphone-app.
Objective:
Evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of dietitian’s weight loss counselling using a smartphone-app for patients with overweight/obesity.
Methods:
In this pre-post test pilot study, overweight and obese adults participated in a one-year behavioral intervention to lose weight through remote counselling by dietitians. The study started in April 2016 and finished in May 2018 in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Participants received individual counselling through the app and the exchange with the dietitian had a focus on regular feedback on photo-based food-log, motivation and education. The contents were tailored the individual life style goal set. The pre-defined intensity of remote counselling decreased during the year. Group chat could be used. Following outcomes were examined: weight change (primary outcome), HBA1c; fasting glucose; fasting insulin, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, body fat, and by a self-administered questionnaire: physical activity, dietary assessment, health related quality of life. Changes are tested between the beginning and after 3 months / after 12 months as well as between the 3rd month and the 12th month.
Results:
36 women and 7 men participated with a mean age of 40.6 years and 36 participants (30 completed the study. Results showed weight change in kilogram after the first 12 weeks (Phase I): median: -3.8kg (range -15, 2.4) p<.001; between week 12 and week 52 median -1.1kg (range -9.7, 7) p=.08 and throughout the entire intervention -4.9kg (range -21.9, 7.5) p<.001. Further the clinical parameters Body Mass Index, waist circumference, body fat, blood pressure also demonstrated significant positive results over one-year intervention. The analysis of the self-administered questionnaire showed less significant results. Certain eating habits showed positive significant effects (higher frequency of vegetable, fruit, breakfast consumption, lower frequency of alcohol, sweet, fat consumption).
Conclusions:
The present study has shown that in addition to the professional skills of RD a profession specific application like Oviva can provide effective support that meets the needs of the individual (registered dietitians and clients) on the long path of behavioral change and sustainable weight reduction. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02694614) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02694614
Citation
Per the author's request the PDF is not available.
Copyright
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