Table 2.
List of Reviewed Studies
| Technology Used | Author (Year) | Study Design | Sample Characteristics | Outcomes | Statistical Significanceb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. TELEHEALTH/TELEMEDICINE | |||||
| Telephone counseling | Kim et al. (2010) | RCT | • 2,470 participants randomized into self-help group (n = 1191) and self-help plus counseling group (n = 1,279) • 1,376 participants completed 6-month follow-up |
• Self-reported weight change • BMI • Servings of fruits and vegetables consumed each day • Minutes of physical activity per day |
No |
| Telephone-based weight loss program | Sherwood et al. (2010) | RCT pilot trial | • Sample drawn from university employees • 63 participants randomized into 3 groups (n = 21 each for self-directed, 10-session calls, 20-session calls) • 51 participants remaining at 6-month follow-up |
• Weight loss • Change in physical activity • Psychosocial changes • Self-monitoring behaviors |
No |
| Coaching calls, interactive telemonitoring | Pronk et al. (2011) | RCT | • 100 participants at baseline: 45 in intervention group and 55 in control group | • Weight loss • Discrepancy between self-reported and measured body weight |
Yes (only for weight loss) |
| Telephone counseling + home internet-enabled digital video recorders | Gerber et al. (2013) | RCT | • Sample restricted to African American women • 89 participants completed baseline interview • 88 completed weight-loss program |
• Weight loss • BMI • Change in: - Dieta - Physical activitya - Social supporta • Self-efficacy |
No |
| Videoconferencing | Ahrendt et al. (2014) | Retrospective cohort study | • Sample selected from VA healthcare system • 120 participants included in study: 60 in intervention and 60 in control |
• Weight loss • BMI |
Yes |
| 2. WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY | |||||
| SenseWear armband in combination with group weight-loss education | Archer et al. (2012) | RCT |
• 197 participants randomized into four groups • Standard care (n = 50) • Group weight loss (n = 49) • Armband (n = 49) • Group weight loss plus armband (n = 49) |
• Weight loss • Cost-effectiveness analysis |
Yes (significant weight loss seen in three intervention groups) |
| 3. eHealth | |||||
| Website interactive voice response system | Bennett et al. (2012) | RCT |
• Sample drawn from urban community health centers serving predominantly racial/ethnic minority patients • 365 patients randomized into intervention group (n = 180) and control group (n = 185) • 314 patients completed the study |
• Change in body weight • Change in blood pressurea |
Yes |
| Virtual world | Johnston et al. (2012) | Observational study | • 54 participants total; 33 in virtual-world intervention group and 21 in face-to-face group |
• Weight loss • Fruit and vegetable consumptiona • Moderate/vigorous physical activitya • Physical activity self-efficacya |
Yes |
| Internet-based virtual coach | Watson et al. (2012) | RCT |
• 70 participants randomized into intervention group (n = 35) and control group (n = 35) • 62 participants completed the study |
• Percent change in step count • Change in weighta • BMIa • Physical activity recalla • Self-efficacya • Program satisfaction |
No |
| Website | Thomas et al. (2015) | RCT | • 154 patients randomized into intervention group (n = 77) and control group |
• Weight loss after 3 months and 6 months • Calories |
Yes (all except fruit and vegetable consumption and |
| (n = 77) | consumeda • Decrease in fat intakea • Increase in fruit and vegetable consumptiona • Increase in exercise levelsa |
exercise levels) | |||
| Internet-based diet and exercise intervention | Gregoski et al. (2016) | Pilot pre-/posttest evaluation | • 56 participants | • Change in weight | No |
| Internet-based physical activity program | Joseph et al. (2016) | Single group pre-/posttest design | • Sample included only young adult African American women • Participants recruited from university campus • 33 participants allocated to intervention; data on 25 available for analysis |
• Physical activity • Sedentary screen time • Website utilization • Exercise session adherence • Change in BMIa |
No |
| 4. MOBILE HEALTH | |||||
| Personal digital assistant (PDA) | Burke et al. (2012) | RCT | • 210 participants randomized into control (n = 72), PDA (n = 68), and PDA + feedback (n = 70) groups | • Percentage weight change • Adherence to self-monitoring |
Yes (only for weight change in PDA + feedback group) |
| Text messaging | Shapiro et al. (2012) | RCT | • 170 participants randomized into intervention group (n = 81) and control group (n = 89) • 130 participants completed the study at 12 months |
• Weight loss • Adherence to treatment protocol • Daily step count • User satisfaction |
Yes |
| Use of a smartphone | Allen et al. (2013) | RCT pilot study | • 58 participants randomized into four groups • Intensive counseling (n = 18) • Intensive counseling + smartphone (n = 16) • Less-intensive counseling + smartphone (n = 17) |
• BMI • Waist Circumference • Dietary intake • Physical activity |
No |
| • Smartphone only (n = 17) | |||||
| SMS | Bouhaidar et al. (2013) | Pilot quasi-experimental pre-/posttest study | • 28 participants, with 14 each in control and intervention groups | • Change in body weight • Eating behaviors • Exercise and behavior self-efficacy • Attitude toward technology |
Yes |
| Personal digital assistant | Spring et al. (2013) | RCT | • 70 participants randomized into standard care (n = 35) and standard care + mobile groups (n = 35) | • Weight loss | Yes |
| Text messaging | Steinberg et al. (2013) | RCT | • Sample recruited from church-based wellness organization • Included only racial and ethnic minority women • 50 patients randomized into intervention group (n = 26) and control/education only group (n = 24) |
• Weight loss • Daily adherence to text messaging • Relationship between daily adherence to text messaging and weight loss |
No |
| Use of a smartphone | Thomas and Wing (2013) | Pilot study | • 20 participants | • Weight loss • Adherence to treatment protocol • Satisfaction with the intervention |
No |
| Mobile app | Turner-McGrievy et al. (2013) | RCT | • 96 participants randomized into behavioral weight loss intervention via an audio podcast (n = 49) and intervention + mobile diet monitoring (n = 47) | • Change in BMI • Intentional physical activity • Mean days/week of physical activity self-monitoring |
Yes |
| Use of a cellphone | Svetkey et al. (2015) | RCT | • Sample limited to 18–35 year olds • 365 participants randomized into control (n = 123), personal coaching intervention (n = 120), |
• Weight change at 6, 12, and 24 months • Percent change in weight at 6 and 12 monthsa • Weight change in |
Yes |
| and cell phone intervention (n = 122) groups • 313 participants completed the 24-month study |
subgroups defined by self-identified race, age, and sexa • Change in dietary patterna • Change in physical activitya |
||||
| Smartphone application | Kim et al. (2017) | Observational study | • 384 participants selected from mobile app (Noom) users | • Weight loss • Individual food logging • Social support |
Yes |
| Smartphone and text messaging | Stephens et al. (2017) | RCT | • Sample limited to 18–25 year olds recruited from Johns Hopkins University campuses • 62 participants randomized into control (n = 31) and smartphone + health coaching intervention (n = 31) groups |
• Change in weight • BMI • Waist circumference • Physical activity • Self-efficacy for healthy eating and exercise |
Yes |
BMI, body mass index; RCT, randomized controlled trial.
Secondary outcomes measured by study authors
Statistical significance reported only for association between use of technology and weight loss outcome.
Sources:
Ahrendt, A. D., K. K. Kattelmann, T. S. Rector, and D. A. Maddox. “The Effectiveness of Telemedicine for Weight Management in the Move! Program.” Journal of Rural Health 30, no. 1 (2014): 113–19.
Allen, J. K., J. Stephens, C. R. Dennison Himmelfarb, K. J. Stewart, and S. Hauck. “Randomized Controlled Pilot Study Testing Use of Smartphone Technology for Obesity Treatment.” Journal of Obesity (2013): article 151597.
Archer, E., E. J. Groessl, X. Sui, A. C. McClain, S. Wilcox, G. A. Hand, R. A. Meriwether, and S. N. Blair. “An Economic Analysis of Traditional and Technology-based Approaches to Weight Loss.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 43, no. 2 (2012): 176–82.
Bennett, G. G., E. T. Warner, R. E. Glasgow, S. Askew, J. Goldman, D. P. Ritzwoller, K. M. Emmons, B. A. Rosner, and G. A. Colditz. “Obesity Treatment for Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Patients in Primary Care Practice.” Archives of Internal Medicine 172, no. 7 (2012): 565–74.
Bouhaidar, C. M., J. P. Deshazo, P. Puri, P. Gray, J. L. W. Robins, and J. Salyer. “Text Messaging as Adjunct to Community-based Weight Management Program.” CIN—Computers Informatics Nursing 31, no. 10 (2013): 469–76.
Burke, L. E., M. A. Styn, S. M. Sereika, M. B. Conroy, L. Ye, K. Glanz, M. A. Sevick, and L. J. Ewing. “Using mHealth Technology to Enhance Self-monitoring for Weight Loss: A Randomized Trial.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 43, no. 1 (2012): 20–26.
Gerber, B. S., L. Schiffer, A. A. Brown, M. L. Berbaum, J. H. Rimmer, C. L. Braunschweig, and M. L. Fitzgibbon. “Video Telehealth for Weight Maintenance of African-American Women.” Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 19, no. 5 (2013): 266–72.
Gregoski, M. J., J. Newton, C. G. Ling, K. Blaylock, S. A. O. Smith, J. Paguntalan, and F. A. Treiber. “Effective Weight-Loss Using an e-Health Delivered Physical Activity and Dietary Intervention: A Federal Credit Union Pilot Study.” Work 54, no. 1 (2016): 127–34.
Johnston, J. D., A. P. Massey, and C. A. Devaneaux. “Innovation in Weight Loss Programs: A 3-Dimensional Virtual-World Approach. Journal of Medical Internet Research 14, no. 4 (2012): e120.
Joseph, R. P., D. Pekmezi, G. R. Dutton, A. L. Cherrington, Y. I. Kim, J. J. Allison, and N. H. Durant. “Results of a Culturally Adapted Internet-enhanced Physical Activity Pilot Intervention for Overweight and Obese Young Adult African American Women.” Journal of Transcultural Nursing 27, no. 2 (2016): 136–46.
Kim, H., M. Faw, and A. Michaelides. “Mobile but Connected: Harnessing the Power of Self-Efficacy and Group Support for Weight Loss Success through mHealth Intervention.” Journal of Health Communication 22, no. 5 (2017): 395–402.
Kim, Y., J. Pike, H. Adams, D. Cross, C. Doyle, and J. Foreyt. “Telephone Intervention Promoting Weight-related Health Behaviors.” Preventive Medicine 50, no. 3 (2010): 112–17.
Pronk, N. P., A. L. Crain, J. J. Vanwormer, B. C. Martinson, J. L. Boucher, and D. L. Cosentino. “The Use of Telehealth Technology in Assessing the Accuracy of Self-reported Weight and the Impact of a Daily Immediate-Feedback Intervention among Obese Employees.” International Journal of Telemedicine and Applications (2011): article 909248.
Shapiro, J. R., T. Koro, N. Doran, S. Thompson, J. F. Sallis, K. Calfas, and K. Patrick. “Text4Diet: A Randomized Controlled Study Using Text Messaging for Weight Loss Behaviors.” Preventive Medicine 55, no. 5 (2012): 412–17.
Sherwood, N. E., R. W. Jeffery, E. M. Welsh, J. Vanwormer, and A. M. Hotop. “The Drop It at Last Study: Six-Month Results of a Phone-based Weight Loss Trial.” American Journal of Health Promotion 24, no. 6 (2010): 378–83.
Spring, B., J. M. Duncan, E. A. Janke, A. T. Kozak, H. G. McFadden, A. Demott, A. Pictor, L. H. Epstein, J. Siddique, C. A. Pellegrini, J. Buscemi, and D. Hedeker. “Integrating Technology into Standard Weight Loss Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” JAMA Internal Medicine 173, no. 2 (2013): 105–11.
Steinberg, D. M., E. L. Levine, S. Askew, P. Foley, and G. G. Bennett. “Daily Text Messaging for Weight Control among Racial and Ethnic Minority Women: Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 15, no. 11 (2013): e244.
Stephens, J. D., A. M. Yager, and J. Allen. “Smartphone Technology and Text Messaging for Weight Loss in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing 32, no. 1 (2017): 39–46.
Svetkey, L. P., B. C. Batch, P. H. Lin, S. S. Intille, L. Corsino, C. C. Tyson, H. B. Bosworth, S. C. Grambow, C. Voils, C. Loria, J. A. Gallis, J. Schwager, and G. G. Bennett. “Cell Phone Intervention for You (CITY): A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Behavioral Weight Loss Intervention for Young Adults Using Mobile Technology.” Obesity (Silver Spring) 23, no. 11 (2015): 2133–41.
Thomas, G., T. M. Leahey, and R. R. Wing. “An Automated Internet Behavioral Weight-Loss Program by Physician Referral: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Diabetes Care 38, no. 1 (2015): 9–15.
Thomas, J. G., and R. R. Wing. “Health-e-call, a Smartphone-assisted Behavioral Obesity Treatment: Pilot Study.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 1, no. 1 (2013): e3.
Turner-McGrievy, G. M., M. W. Beets, J. B. Moore, A. T. Kaczynski, D. J. Barr-Anderson, and D. F. Tate. “Comparison of Traditional versus Mobile App Self-monitoring of Physical Activity and Dietary Intake among Overweight Adults Participating in an mHealth Weight Loss Program.” Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 20, no. 3 (2013): 513–18.
Watson, A., T. Bickmore, A. Cange, A. Kulshreshtha, and J. Kvedar. “An Internet-based Virtual Coach to Promote Physical Activity Adherence in Overweight Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Medical Internet Research 14, no. 1 (2012): e1.