Effect of Behavioral Weight Management Interventions Using Lifestyle mHealth Self‐Monitoring on Weight Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Alongside an increase in obesity, society is experiencing the development of substantial technological advances. Interventions that are easily scalable, such as lifestyle (including diet and physical activity) mobile health (mHealth) self‐monitoring, may be highly valuable in the prevention and treatment of excess weight. Thus, the aims of this systematic review and meta‐ analysis were to estimate the following: (i) the effect of behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring on weight loss and (ii) the adherence to behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring. MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Web of Science databases were systematically searched. The DerSimonian and Laird method was used to estimate the effect of and adherence to behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring on weight loss. Twenty studies were included in the systematic review and meta‐ analysis, yielding a moderate decrease in weight and higher adherence to intervention of behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring, which was greater than other interventions. Subgroup analyses showed that smartphones were the most effective mHealth approach to achieve weight management and the effect of behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring was more pronounced when compared to usual care and in the short‐term (less than six months). Furthermore, behavioral weight management interventions using lifestyle mHealth self‐monitoring showed a higher adherence than: (i) recording on paper at any time and (ii) any other intervention at six and twelve months

Differences in quality of life and fitness level among men and women in the adulthood: a cross-sectional analysis

Abstract Background This study aimed to examine the associations between physical fitness components and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adults stratified by sex and age. In addition, we aimed to examine whether these associations change based on socioeconomic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics. Methods A total of 297 participants aged 47.41 (standard deviation: 9.08) years from the “Validity of a Model of Accelerated Vascular Aging as a Cardiovascular Risk Index in Healthy Adults: the EVasCu cross-sectional study” were included in this analysis. HRQoL, physical fitness, socioeconomic status (SES), waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Additionally, blood samples were extracted to determine cholesterol, triglyceride, and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were estimated to test mean differences in physical and mental health-related health measures (HRQoL) between fitness categories (fixed factors) by sex and age categories. Results The physical HRQoL was related to the levels of fitness parameters among women, independent of age, while for men, it was related to better levels of general fitness and cardiorespiratory fitness among men aged < 50 and men aged ≥ 50, respectively. In contrast, mental HRQoL was related to cardiorespiratory fitness only among women aged < 50 years; speed/agility and flexibility among men aged < 50 years; and general fitness, strength, and flexibility among men aged ≥ 50 years. These data did not change when SES, clinical variables, or biochemical determinations were included in the analyses, neither for the physical nor for the mental HRQoL. Conclusion Gender and age are important factors to be considered when analysing health indicators and influences in the population. In addition, SES, clinical characteristics, and biochemical parameters do not seem to influence the relationship between HRQoL and fitness