Table 1
Summary of included trials that investigated the effects of using food scanning mobile phone apps on wight loss.
| AUTHOR (YEAR) | LOCATION OF THE TRIAL | SAMPLE SIZE | AGE YEARS (MEAN ± SD) | WEIGHT KG (MEAN ± SD) | MOBILE PHONE APPS | APP PRESCRIPTION | PRIMARY OUTCOME | SECONDARY OUTCOME | KEY FINDINGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bender., et al (2017) | USA | Overall: 45M:F = 28:62 IG: 22M:F = 12:8 CG: 23M:F = 14:9 | Overall: 57.6 ± 9.8 IG: 57.4 ± 9.8 CG: 57.7 ± 10.0 | Overall: 75.8 ± 15.4 IG:72.6 ± 10.8 CG: 78.8 ± 18.6 | PilAm Go4Health | Intervention Duration: 6 months. IG: Phase 1 (from baseline to 3 months: participants were trained on using the Fitbit to self-monitor, PA steps and app with diary to self-report daily food/calorie intake. They joined private Facebook group for virtual social support, and coaching. Research office visits at 1, 2 and 3 months. Phase 2 ( from 3 months to 6 months): IG participants were removed from the Facebook group. They were asked to continue using their Fitbit and app with diary to track health behaviours.Research office visits at 4 and 6 months. CG: Phase 1 (from baseline to 3 months): participants received only the Fitbit accelerometer and training for daily wear. Research office visits at 1 and 3 months. Phase 2 (From 3 month to 6 month): participants transitioned to receive the PilAm Go4Health intervention. Research office visits at 4, 5 and 6 months. | Attendance and adherence | Percent weight change | - Both the IG and waitlist CG achieved near-perfect attendance at all 7 intervention office visits 95% for IG (21/22) and 100% for CG (23/23). - Both IG and CG participants (100%) completed the study at 6 months follow up. - During phase 1, about 18% (4/22) of the IG achieved a 5% weight loss, whereas 82% (18/22) of the remaining participants maintained or lost 2% – 5% of their weight. - During phase 2, 90% (20/22) of the IG continued to maintain or lose 2% – 5% more weight. - During phase 1, over 83% (19/23) of the CG maintained or gained 2% – 5% more weight. - During phase 2, 70% (16/23) of the CG receiving PilAm Go4Health having maintained or lost between 2% – 5% of their weight. |
| Ben Neriah., et al (2019) | USA | Nonuser: 113,916 M:F = 83,150: 72.99 Users: 9871 M:F = 7153: 72.46 | Nonuser: 36.1 ± 12.1 Users: 36.5 ± 11.9 | Nonuser: 93.6 ± 20.5 Users: 94.0 ± 20.6 | Lose it | Intervention Duration: 12 months The participants had to sign up in the app by entire information about height, gender, weight and age and they record their daily food intake by taking photo of the food. After that the users specifies the quantity consumed from the list and calculate the calories and macronutrients. | Weight loss | Number of logged days and duration | - Both users and nonusers had decrease their body wight with greater weight loss in users’ group (P < 0.001). - The users group showed that the number of days the photo feature was used was significantly associated with the %weight loss (P < 0.001). - The photo feature group used the app for 3.5 days more than nonusers (P < 0.001). - Photo users group logged 6.1 more days than nonusers (P < 0.001). |
| DeLuca., et al (2020) | USA | HW: 12,378 M:F = 10,927: 1451 DPP: 2389 M:F = 2100: 289 | HW: 42.0 ± 38.0–47.0 DPP: 51.0 ± 44.0–58.0 | HW: 94.1 ± 20.4 DPP:94.4 ± 20.5 | Noom | Intervention Duration: 16 and 52 weeks. The participants had to sign up in the app. The users had tracking feature for food, exercise logging weighing, access to behaviour coach, and daily curriculum that includes diet-, exercise-, and psychology-based content. HW: Participants enrolled based on self-interest in weight loss. DPP: Participants encouraged to join following a prediabetes diagnosis from their health care provider. Both groups have access to the same features weight, healthy eating, and physical activity. DPP program includes specific diabetes prevention which is not included with HW group. | Wight loss | - HW group lost on average 4.74 kg at week 16 and 5.24 kg at week 52. - DPP group lost on average 5.61 kg at week 16 and 5.66 kg at week 52. - DPP participants showed greater weight loss compared with HW, losing 3.20 kg more at week 16 and 2.38 kg more at week 52. | |
| Ferrante., et al (2020) | USA | Overall: 35 IG: 18 CG: 17 | Overall: <60 = 14 ± 40.0 ≥60 = 21 ± 60.0 IG: <60 =7 ± 38.89 ≥60 = 11 ± 61.11 CG: <60 = 7 ± 41.18 ≥60 = 10 ± 58.82 | IG:91.98 ± 15.35 CG:104.06 ± 22.65 | Spark People website | Intervention Duration: 3, 6, and 12 months. All participants received a handout of goals for weight loss, calories intake and physical activity. wrist-worn physical activity tracker, Fitbit Charge were received for all. F: Each day I: Mild to moderate exercise T: 30 min per day T: 10,000 steps per day IG: Participants received one 30-minute session on the SparkPeople website. They instructed to self-monitor their diet at least weekly. CG: At 6 months, the participant receives SparkPeople treatment. | Adherence and acceptability | - Weight loss and BMI - QoL: in adult cancer survivors, scale range 1–7 (never-always; lower score is better quality). - 6MWT | - Participants logged into SparkPeople website more than once weekly throughout the study. - After 6 months of follow up, both IG and CG had significant decrease in weight loss (P = 0.006), (P = 0.002), respectively. - After 6 months of follow up, both IG and CG had significant decrease in BMI (P = 0.006), (P = 0.012), respectively. - After 6 months of follow up, IG (P = 0.031) had significant improvement in QoL compared to CG (P = 0.440). - After 6 months follow up, both IG and CG had significant improvements in the 6MWT (P = 0.006), (P < 0.001), respectively. - Participants found SparkPeople easy to use and somewhat to very useful, and many provided positive comments regarding the educational and inspirational articles, recipes, videos, incentives, and social groups. |
| Hu., et al (2021) | USA | Overall: 1,740 M:F = 1462:278 | Overall: 48 ± 11 | Overall:225 ± 40 | FoodSmart | Intervention Duration: 12, 24, and 36 months. The participants had to sign up in the app and fill a dietary questionnaire called “Nutriquiz” (53-item food frequency questionnaire adapted from the National Cancer Institute Diet History Questionnaire) and their information sex, age, weight, and usual frequency of dietary intake. Participants had to assign a score from 0 to 10 (10 being optimal) for each 7 component fruits, vegetables, protein ratio, carbohydrate ratio, fat ratio, sodium, and hydration. | Sustained weight loss: losing 5% of initial weight between first and second reported weights and additional weight loss or no change between the second and third reported weights. | - Among all participants, 22.4% sustained weight loss. - Among participant who were enrolled for greater than 12, 24, and 36 months, the percent of participants who sustained weight loss was 21.7%, 22.8%, and 23.8% respectively. - Participants with obesity class 2 and 3 had a significant greater change in diet quality and sustained weight loss (P < 0.001). | |
| Vaz., et al (2021) | USA | Overall: 28 M:F = 24:4 IG: 13 M:F = 11;2 CG: 15M:F = 13:2 | Overall: 43.25 ± 2.48 IG:40.15 ± 3.72 CG: 45.93 ± 3.29 | Overall: 93.12 ± 2.78 IG:94.13 ± 3.40 CG: 92.25 ± 4.37 | The Smart Food Diary™ | Intervention Duration: 6 months. IG: Participants received two smart devices: wrist worn to monitor physical activity and smart scale. The participants had to logged onto three apps: the Fitbit™ app that links to the activity tracker, smartscale, and photo-sharing apps. Smart food diary was used by all the participants with professional coach to observe food intake and allowed the coach to provide positive reinforcement with “stars” on healthy meals. F: Daily tracking T: 40–50 min CG: The participants were wait-listed to receive the smart lifestyle intervention after 6 months. Both IG and CG received conventional outpatient weight-management visits at baseline and at 3 and 6 months including: diet plan, goals for physical activity and weight, and minimal amount of behavioural feedback. | Change of wight loss | - Waist circumference - HgbA1c - Systolic and diastolic blood pressure. - Plasma concentrations of triglycerides | - After 6 months of follow up, IG had significant decrease in weight loss compared to CG (P < 0.01), (P < 0.05), respectively. - After 6 months of follow up, IG had signification Waist circumference and HgbA1c compared to CG (P < 0.01), (P < 0.05), respectively. - After 6 months of follow up, no significant difference in the changes in systolic or diastolic blood pressure, or plasma triglyceride concentrations between both groups. (P = 0.51), (P = 0.3476), (P = 0.6450). respectively. |
| Li., et al (2022) | USA | Overall: 15 M:F = 6:8 | 61.87 ± 10.67 | 86.1 ± 25.9 | Led, mobile health (mHealth) | Intervention Duration: 12 weeks. All the participants received mHealth and one-on-one training from health workers. F: Daily sessions T: at least 10 min T: Diabetes Prevention Program Group Lifestyle Balance Program, self-monitoring goals for frequency of weight self-monitoring, food logging, physical activity tracking, and blood glucose self-monitoring. | Retention of adherence | - CSQ-8 - Weight loss | - 93% (14/15) of participants accessing all digital education modules and 53% (8/15) completed all courses. - All the participants were satisfied by the intervention. The mean score for CSQ-8 was (29.53 ± 3.04). - Participants had significant decrease in body weight of 3.5 kg from the bassline (P = .001). - Participants had a significant improvement in PTES score (P < 0.001) and eHealth literacy (P < 0.001). |
| Nezami., et al (2022) | USA | Overall: 72 Standard group:37 M:F = 35:2 Simplified group: 35 M:F = 33:2 | Standard group: 39.8 ± 4.7 Simplified group: 40.2 ± 4.7 | Standard group: 99.1 ± 21.6 Simplified group: 91.0 ± 15.9 | The PATH | Intervention Duration: 6 months. Standard group: Participants received a daily calorie goal based on their starting weight, and they were tracking their daily caloric intake from Fitbit app. Simplified group: Participants received a simplified version of dietary self-monitoring based on the Traffic Light Die, which classified the food into 3 categories green, yellow, or red (high calorie foods). Participants were asked to track only red foods and were given a daily red food limit based on their starting weight. They tracked their foods using PATH app. Both groups received digital automated behavioural weight loss intervention, activity tracker (Fitbit Inspire), and smart scale. T and T: attended 75-minute group kick-off sessions and move at least 10 minutes per day and progress to 60 minutes. Lessons weekly in 1 to 3 months and biweekly in 4 to 6 months regarding behavioural strategies for cognitive and skills to meet their dietary and activity goals. | Retention of adherence | Weight change | - 96% of participants accessing all digital education modules. All participants who did not complete the 6-month weight measurement were in the Standard group 3 participants, compared with no participants in Simplified group. - After 6 months of follow up, there is no significant differences between both group (P = 0.24). Standard group participants lost 5.9 kg at 6 months compared to Simplified group participants lost 3.5 kg. |
[i] IG: Intervention Group; CG: Control Group; PilAm Go4Health: Pilipino Americans Go4Health; PA: pedometers; HW: Healthy Weight; DPP: Diabetes Prevention Program; BMI: Body Mass Index; QoL: Quality of Life; 6MWT: 6 Minute Walk Test; CSQ-8: Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire short version; PTES: Perceived Therapeutic Efficacy Scale; HgbA1c: Haemoglobin A1c; The PATH: PArents Tracking for Health.
Figure 1
PRISMA Flow-Chart of the search records.
Figure 2
CROB2 results of the included studies.