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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017 Aug;25(8):1336-1342.
doi: 10.1002/oby.21889. Epub 2017 Jun 10.

The Dietary Intervention to Enhance Tracking with Mobile Devices (DIET Mobile) Study: A 6-Month Randomized Weight Loss Trial

Gabrielle M Turner-McGrievy  1 , Sara Wilcox  2   3 , Alycia Boutté  1 , Brent E Hutto  3 , Camelia Singletary  1 , Eric R Muth  4 , Adam W Hoover  5
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

The Dietary Intervention to Enhance Tracking with Mobile Devices (DIET Mobile) Study: A 6-Month Randomized Weight Loss Trial

Gabrielle M Turner-McGrievy et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2017 Aug.

Erratum in

Abstract

Objective: To examine the use of two different mobile dietary self-monitoring methods for weight loss.

Methods: Adults with overweight (n = 81; mean BMI 34.7 ± 5.6 kg/m2 ) were randomized to self-monitor their diet with a mobile app (App, n = 42) or wearable Bite Counter device (Bite, n = 39). Both groups received the same behavioral weight loss information via twice-weekly podcasts. Weight, physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), and energy intake (two dietary recalls) were assessed at 0, 3, and 6 months.

Results: At 6 months, 75% of participants completed the trial. The App group lost significantly more weight (-6.8 ± 0.8 kg) than the Bite group (-3.0 ± 0.8 kg; group × time interaction: P < 0.001). Changes in energy intake (kcal/d) (-621 ± 157 App, -456 ± 167 Bite; P = 0.47) or number of days diet was tracked (90.7 ± 9.1 App, 68.4 ± 9.8 Bite; P = 0.09) did not differ between groups, but the Bite group had significant increases in physical activity metabolic equivalents (+2015.4 ± 684.6 min/wk; P = 0.02) compared to little change in the App group (-136.5 ± 630.6; P = 0.02). Total weight loss was significantly correlated with number of podcasts downloaded (r = -0.33, P < 0.01) and number of days diet was tracked (r = -0.33, P < 0.01).

Conclusions: While frequency of diet tracking was similar between the App and Bite groups, there was greater weight loss observed in the App group.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02632461.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: Authors Adam Hoover and Erich Muth have formed a company, Bite Technologies, to market and sell a bite counting device. Clemson University owns a US patent for intellectual property known as “The Weight Watch”, USA, Patent No. 8310368, filed January 2009, granted November 13, 2012. Bite Technologies has licensed the method from Clemson University. Adam Hoover and Eric Muth receive royalty payments from bite counting device sales. The remaining authors do not have any conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. DIET Mobile CONSORT Flow Diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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