Smartphone Application for Weight Loss

Efficacy of a Mobile Application for Weight Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

AIM: To assess the efficacy of an intervention that includes the assistance of a weight loss smartphone application targeted to young people aged 18 to 40 years.

DESIGN: Randomisedclinical trial.

SETTING: Primary Health Care centres (PHCCs) in Catalonia.

PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 18 to 40 years with criteria of obesity or overweight, consulting PHCCs for any reason and who provide written informed consent to participate in the trial.

INTERVENTION GROUP will receive a 12-month weight loss programme that implements recommendations of a Clinical Practice Guideline, complemented with a smartphone app designed specifically for this programme.

CONTROL GROUP will receive the usual care. The outcome measure will be weight loss at 12 months.

EXPECTED RESULTS: The investigators expect a higher weight loss in the intervention group than in control group.

DESIGN: Randomised clinical trial.

SETTING: Primary Health Care centres (PHCCs) in Catalonia, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 18 to 40 years with criteria of obesity or overweight, consulting PHCCs for any reason and who provide written informed consent to participate in the trial.

INTERVENTION GROUP will receive a 12-month weight loss programme that implements recommendations of a Clinical Practice Guideline, complemented with a smartphone app designed specifically for this programme.

CONTROL GROUP will receive the usual care. The outcome measure will be weight loss at 12 months.

EXPECTED RESULTS: The investigators expect a higher weight loss in the intervention group than in control group.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Young adults aged 18 to 40 years with overweight or obesity
• availability of the patient's clinical history in the primary care centre
• access to a smartphone device that meets the app requirements
• access to an Internet data connection

Exclusion Criteria:

• Morbid obesity with BMI> 40
• Secondary Obesity (eg endocrine pathology)
• eating disorders (the patient or any member of the family);
• Presence of any significant comorbidity that a specific treatment (type 1 diabetes mellitus, severe mental illness);
• pregnant or desire pregnancy in the next 12 months;
• To participate in a weight loss program or taking any medication for weight loss in the moment of the recruitment
• Take any medication that may influence body weight;