The effectiveness of an mHealth intervention on diabetes risk factors and body composition

Abstract

Abstract Early identification and lifestyle intervention is beneficial for people with risk for diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in healthy overweight or obese women using the FINDRISC score and a twelve-week long mobile app-based lifestyle intervention. Fifty-four subjects were involved and forty-eight were analysed, n = 28 in the intervention group (online group: OG) and n = 20 in the control group (CG). Body composition was assessed using the InBody 720 device and diabetes risk was evaluated with the Finnish Diabetes Risk Questionnaire. The calorie intake and macronutrients were evaluated by a 3-day diary. Group differences and pre- and post-results were analysed using student t -tests by TIBCO Statistica 13.40.14. Significantly decreased body mass index (28.0 ± 2.5 kg m −2 vs 25.8 ± 4.3 kg m −2 , P = 0.00), body fat percentage (37.5 ± 6.3% vs 34.1 ± 5.9%, P = 0.03), waist circumference (100.8 ± 7.2 cm vs 94.7 ± 8.2 cm, P = 0.00) and visceral fat (124.0 ± 29.2 cm³ vs 109.0 ± 24.6 cm³, P = 0.04) were found in the OG. By the end of the programme, both groups showed significant decrease in food consumption, daily calorie intake (OG: 2,348.6 ± 348.0 vs 1,483.1 ± 114.4, CG: 2,372.4 ± 464.2 vs 1,654.1 ± 201.3 kcal day −1 , P = 0.00), fibre (OG: 19.5 ± 3.7 vs 26.1 ± 3.4, CG: 17.8 ± 3.9 vs 22.0 ± 4.8 g day −1 , P = 0.00) and cholesterol consumption (OG: 365.2 ± 58.9 vs 266.2 ± 65.8, CG: 377.4 ± 72.1 vs 269.2 ± 42.7 mg day −1 , P = 0.00). OG had a more significant reduction in body mass index ( P = 0.03) and body fat percentage ( P = 0.04) values at the end of the programme compared to the control group. In this study, it was found that mHealth intervention is a useful and effective method in the Hungarian female population. Further studies are needed to investigate modifications of this intervention to achieve more health-related effects.