Smartphone Technology and Text Messaging for Weight Loss in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Janna D Stephens, Allison M Yager, Jerilyn Allen
PMID 26646593WHAT IT FOUND
Young adults using a calorie-tracking app with daily text reminders from a coach lost 1.8kg over three months, while the control group gained 0.3kg.
The difference was significant. Consistent logging of physical activity drove the weight loss.
Key findings
01The intervention group lost a significant amount of weight while the control group gained slightly, with a statistically significant difference between groups.
02Weight loss was associated with the frequency of logging physical activity in the app, but logging diet alone did not show a significant relationship with weight loss.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study population was highly specific: mostly current college students at a single university on the east coast, limiting generalizability to non-student young adults. The intervention combined multiple components (additional counseling, app use, and text messages), so it is unclear which specific element drove the weight loss. The follow-up period was short (3 months), so long-term maintenance of weight loss is unknown. The sample size was small (n=62 randomized), and the study was powered for weight loss only, not other outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was approved by the Johns Hopkins University Institutional Review Board. No specific funding source is detailed in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not attribute the weight loss solely to the smartphone app or the text messages. The intervention group received an extra 30-40 minute counseling session that the control group did not, and the study cannot separate the effect of this additional face-to-face time from the technology.