Abstract
We developed a standalone smartphone app for weight management for middle-aged people. Among people living in Okinawa, Japan, participants were required to have BMI 25 or greater at the time of online registration. The intervention was a 3-month duration using the following four functions: recording of walking steps, diet content and bodyweight, and reading basic health knowledge. Among 87 participants who met our study criteria, 47 (54%) adhered to the program to endline and 28 participants (60%) lost body weight (0.3-5.6 kg loss: 0.3-7.1% loss). Frequency of recording walk steps was associated with BMI reduction with beta coefficient of 0.00847 (95% confidence interval, −0.01595 to −0.00099). No cases of adverse health events were reported during our study period. A standalone app can play an important role in weight management among middle-aged people with overweight/obesity.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
Data can be available upon appropriate request.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Yasuharu Tokuda
Yasuharu Tokuda, MD, MPH ([email protected]) is an Adjunct Professor, Tsukuba University School of Medicine and Director, Muribushi Okinawa Center for Teaching Hospitals, Iso, Urasoe City, Okinawa, Japan.
Kento Sonoda
Kento Sonoda, MD, AAHIVS ([email protected]) is an Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA.
Haruka Tokuda
Haruka Tokuda, BA ([email protected]) is a medical student, University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine, Nishihara City, Okinawa, Japan.
Misa Tomono
Misa Tomono, BA ([email protected]) is a medical student, Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato City, Tokyo, Japan.
Shinto Ando
Shinto Ando, MD ([email protected]) is a resident physician, Minamiseikyo Hospital, Nagoya City, Aichi, Japan.