Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Formative Research
Date Submitted: Jan 27, 2022
Date Accepted: Dec 27, 2022
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Lessons from an app-based intervention for paediatric weight-management
ABSTRACT
Background:
A multi-disciplinary approach to weight management is offered at tier three services. Encouraging dietary change is a major aim.
Objective:
This research sought to trial an inhibitory control training smartphone-app, FoodT, with the clinic population of one, weight management
Methods:
FoodT was offered to patients during a routine clinic appointment, and patients were asked to use the app at home, every day for the first week, and once a week for the rest of the month. A battery of tests was given before and after use to assess changes to food choice and experience.
Results:
Twelve families consented (38.7% of those approached), only one participant achieved the recommended training schedule, and no participants completed post-trial measures. Reasons for non-participation included not considering their weight to be connected to eating choices, and not feeling the app suited their needs.
Conclusions:
It is unclear whether the intervention or the research processes prevented completion. Regardless, future interventions should seek to take a patient-centred approach to design, work to reduce connotations of blame that may deter engagement, and utilise familiar clinician staff to support recruitment.
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Copyright
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