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

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. 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. 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\u3c.05). 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)