Patient adherence to smartphone weight loss applications: A dietitian perception study

<p>Background: Dietitians play an important role in weight management. Self-monitoring of food intake is an effective tool for weight management. As smartphones gain popularity, many individuals are using smartphone apps for diet tracking to lose weight.</p> <p>Objective: To determine the dietitians’ perception on whether their involvement with the use of smartphone weight loss apps results in increased patient/client adherence and increased weight loss.</p> <p>Methods: An online survey was completed by 2,532 weight management dietitians. Paired t-tests were used to determine dietitians’ perceptions on patient/client adherence and weight loss using smartphone apps with dietitian intervention compared to without dietitian intervention (p<.05).</p> <p>Results/Conclusion: Eighty-three percent of weight management dietitians recommended smartphone weight loss apps. Dietitians’ perceive adherence with smartphone apps to be significantly greater with dietitian feedback than without dietitian feedback (p=.000). Dietitians also perceive weight loss with smartphone apps to be significantly greater with dietitian feedback than without dietitian feedback (p=.000).</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MS)

Level thesis:degree_level

Open Access Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Health Sciences

Year dc:date.available

2015

Author dc:creator

• Abernathy, Kathleen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Rubina S. Haque, Ph.D., R.D., Chair
• Anahita Mistry, Ph.D.
• Colleen DeBoer, M.S., R.D., L.D.N.

• Adherence
• Dietitians
• Perception
• Smartphone Apps
• Weight Loss
• Health and Physical Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.emich.edu/theses/732

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.emich.edu:theses-2111