Effectiveness of an mHealth intervention combining a smartphone app and smart band on body composition in an overweight and obese population: Randomized controlled trial (EVIDENT 3 study)

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) is currently among the supporting elements that may contribute to an improvement in health markers by helping people adopt healthier lifestyles. mHealth interventions have been widely reported to achieve greater weight loss than other approaches, but their effect on body composition remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to assess the short-term (3 months) effectiveness of a mobile app and a smart band for losing weight and changing body composition in sedentary Spanish adults who are overweight or obese. Methods: A randomized controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted involving the participation of 440 subjects from primary care centers, with 231 subjects in the intervention group (IG; counselling with smartphone app and smart band) and 209 in the control group (CG; counselling only). Both groups were counselled about healthy diet and physical activity. For the 3-month intervention period, the IG was trained to use a smartphone app that involved self-monitoring and tailored feedback, as well as a smart band that recorded daily physical activity (Mi Band 2, Xiaomi). Body composition was measured using the InBody 230 bioimpedance device (InBody Co., Ltd), and physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The mHealth intervention produced a greater loss of body weight (–1.97 kg, 95% CI –2.39 to –1.54) relative to standard counselling at 3 months (–1.13 kg, 95% CI –1.56 to –0.69). Comparing groups, the IG achieved a weight loss of 0.84 kg more than the CG at 3 months. The IG showed a decrease in body fat mass (BFM; –1.84 kg, 95% CI –2.48 to –1.20), percentage of body fat (PBF; –1.22%, 95% CI –1.82% to 0.62%), and BMI (–0.77 kg/m2, 95% CI –0.96 to 0.57). No significant changes were observed in any of these parameters in men; among women, there was a significant decrease in BMI in the IG compared with the CG. When subjects were grouped according to baseline BMI, the overweight group experienced a change in BFM of –1.18 kg (95% CI –2.30 to –0.06) and BMI of –0.47 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.80 to –0.13), whereas the obese group only experienced a change in BMI of –0.53 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.86 to –0.19). When the data were analyzed according to physical activity, the moderate-vigorous physical activity group showed significant changes in BFM of –1.03 kg (95% CI –1.74 to –0.33), PBF of –0.76% (95% CI –1.32% to –0.20%), and BMI of –0.5 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.83 to –0.19). Conclusions: The results from this multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial study show that compared with standard counselling alone, adding a self-reported app and a smart band obtained beneficial results in terms of weight loss and a reduction in BFM and PBF in female subjects with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 and a moderate-vigorous physical activity level. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to ensure that this profile benefits more than others from this intervention and to investigate modifications of this intervention to achieve a global effect

外泌汗腺与已确定的皮肤白色脂肪组织室内的人毛囊相关

Summary 一直以来的假设是汗腺分布于皮肤,未与毛囊相连(毛发“根部”)。与其相关的脂肪腺以及其他专用腺和使毛发站立的肌肉被统称为毛囊皮脂腺。换句话说,汗腺和毛囊皮脂腺一直被视为单独的结构,汗腺通向毛发之间(而不是毛发旁边)的皮肤表面。手掌和脚底的汗腺发育方式不同,因此不在本研究范围内。这项来自西班牙和英国曼彻斯特的研究使用多种技术,包括通过显微镜观察在毛发移植期间从头皮采集的毛囊剖面以及通过人工和计算机辅助3D方式重建头皮皮肤剖面,最后展现出,在生长毛发的区域,汗腺最深的部位(螺旋结构)实际上在脂肪腺和毛发肌肉连接点下方紧靠毛囊皮脂腺最深的部位,位于毛囊鞘旁。此外,这些结构聚集在从下层脂肪向上延伸至最低层皮肤(网状真皮层)的脂肪的锥形突出内。作者们推断,汗腺、毛囊皮脂腺和这种特殊的脂肪组织(统称为“附属皮肤单位”)会在特定皮肤病中和伤口愈合期间相互作用,也会与药物治疗发生反应。 Linked Article: Poblet et al. Br J Dermatol 2018; 178:1163–117