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Even for seniors who are not -savvy technology, simple digital tools and occasional telephone support can significantly improve weight management success -. and at a fraction of the cost of intensive consultations one-on-one
This is what the latest research on the subject published in the newspaper Archives of Internal Medicine shows. of mOVE s'! Regular health education class. More than three months to a year, people in the technology group lost 7 pounds more, on average, that people just attending classes - even if almost everyone in the study was illiterate computer when the program begin.
But the secret of success of the new technology, researchers say, are relatively low-tech and well-established principles to make the management of the practice weight and ensure that people feel responsible for their choices .
"As behavior change specialists, we know very sad truth: knowledge is rarely enough to change behavior," said Bonnie Spring, lead author of the new study and a professor of preventive medicine and Director of Behavior Center and health at Northwestern medicine.
"what [usually] takes to treat obesity is a lot of intensive counseling in person" Spring said. But it is not easy to provide in the current health system. "Physicians are encouraged to be responsible for managing their weight patients," she said, "but they do not really have the time or expertise." That's why she and her colleagues sought a technology-based "work-around". something that would be inexpensive and would not require a major commitment of time users, but would still provide personalized attention and frequent feedback that makes expert advice so effective
In the study, each volunteer was encouraged to attend MOVE every two weeks! classes, who teaches nutrition, setting realistic objectives and strategies to overcome bad habits. In addition, however, members of the Technology group also received mobile personal digital assistants (PDAs) to help them track the number of calories they eat and how much exercise they received. When updated, these devices would inform users about the calorie intake so far that day, and especially transmit data to a health coach. Then the coach, a person trained in counseling, but without specialized medical training, would check with each user by phone for 10 or 15 minutes, once every two weeks to discuss the progress of the participant. At each point, participants interacted with their coach, their weight was measured and each weighing in three months, six months and one year in the study - people who use the devices had shed more pounds than people who only attend classes.
"The two most effective elements of weight management are encouraging [people] to self-monitoring, and provide social support," says Spring.
She believes the mobile app action works because it simplifies the tracking calories and because participants know that someone, namely their health coach will notice their efforts and support them when they are struggling. "I think it is a support mixture being held responsible, "said Spring. "We all need that. We need a parental figure, helping us to stay on track. "
This personal connection defines the intervention of spring apart many weight loss tools in previous base Tech, which were less effective. In an editorial published with the new study Archives Dr. Goutham Rao of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Dr. Katherine Kirley of note NorthShore University health system that most weight loss programs currently fall into one of two categories: "simple and easy to implement, but ineffective or intense and effective but impractical or expensive to implement. "Mobile technology, they say, represents an opportunity for programs that are both effective and cheap. Counseling replacement in person with feedback by phone or wireless device, for example could potentially save hundreds of dollars specialized costs, while saving time patients significantly Travel (and the costs of babysitter or loss of pay) at the same time.
Spring said she is now working on loss interventions weight that would not cost more than $ 500, since that's more or less what the insurance companies are willing to spend on weight loss programs for health prevention. in comparison, bariatric surgery for loss of weight can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and treatment of cardiovascular disease, a consequence of the health of obesity can cost tens or hundreds of thousands as well.
Spring said that new interventions, she studied will be similar to those tested in the Archive study that combine education with e-health, digital tools to help users monitor and record their own behavior, and phone support for a live person to provide a personal touch - and social pressure -. to help people stay on track
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