27 Sep Effect of a mobile app intervention on vegetable consumption in overweight adults: a randomized controlled trial
Mummah, S., et al. (2017). Effect of a mobile app intervention on vegetable consumption in overweight adults: A randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 14:125.
The authors tested the effect of a mobile app to increase vegetable consumption among overweight adults attempting weight loss maintenance.
Overweight adults (n=135) aged 18–50 years with BMI=28–40 kg/m2 near Stanford, CA were recruited from an ongoing 12-month weight loss trial (parent trial) and randomly assigned to either the stand-alone, theory-based Vegethon mobile app (enabling goal setting, self-monitoring, and feedback and using “process motivators” including fun, surprise, choice, control, social comparison, and competition) or a wait-listed control condition.
Daily vegetable consumption was significantly greater in the intervention versus control condition for both measures. Baseline vegetable consumption was a significant moderator of intervention effects (p=0.002) in which effects increased as baseline consumption increased.
The authors conclude that these results demonstrate the efficacy of a mobile app to increase vegetable consumption among overweight adults. Theory-based mobile interventions may present a low-cost, scalable, and effective approach to improving dietary behaviors and preventing associated chronic