Personal digital assistant, with/without feedback, improves adherence to weight-loss program
FRIDAY, March 16 (HealthDay News) -- Use of a personal digital assistant (PDA) can improve adherence to all components of a weight-loss intervention, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology & Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity & Metabolism 2012 Scientific Sessions, held from March 13 to 16 in San Diego.
Lora E. Burke, Ph.D., from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues investigated whether the method of self-monitoring diet and exercise impacts adherence to five components of a weight-loss intervention, delivered in 39 group sessions over 18 months, as part of the 24-month Self-Monitoring and Recording with Technology trial. Two hundred ten participants were randomly allocated to self-monitoring with a paper diary, a PDA, or a PDA plus daily tailored feedback messages (PDA + FB). The weight-loss intervention components included attending group sessions, meeting daily energy goals, meeting daily fat goals, meeting the weekly exercise goal, and self-monitoring eating and exercise behaviors.
The researchers found that, compared with the paper diary group, adherence to the treatment protocol was significantly higher for attendance, self-monitoring, energy goals, and exercise goals (P < 0.05 for all), but not significantly higher for fat goals (P = 0.07), for the PDA + FB and PDA groups. Over time, adherence to all five components decreased in a nonlinear manner in all groups. For each of the five components, there was a significant group-by-time interaction for adherence. There was also a significant correlation between adherence to each component and weight change.
"These results suggest that using an electronic diary such as the PDA improves treatment adherence," the authors write.
Press Release
More Information