Swipe up! Health apps deliver real results en masse

In a new study, researchers synthesised data from 206,873 people across 47 studies, finding that digital health tools – like mobile apps, websites, and text messages – can significantly improve health and wellbeing by keeping you active, boosting steps, and improving your diet and sleep.

Specifically, electronic and mobile health interventions can help people achieve:

• 1329 more steps / day
• 55 minutes more moderate-to-vigorous exercise / week
• 45 minutes more overall physical activity / week
• 7 hours less sedentary behaviour / week
• 103 fewer calories consumed / day
• 20% more fruits and vegetables consumed / day
• 5.5 grams less saturated fat consumed / day
• 1.9 kilograms of weight loss over 12 weeks
• Improved sleep quality
• Less severe insomnia.

With the global economic burden of chronic diseases estimated to exceed US $47 trillion by 2023, effective interventions are in high demand. According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people are now living with obesity; 422 million people have diabetes; and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.

Lead researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ben Singh, says people’s health behaviours must change if we are to reduce the incidence of chronic disease.

“With the rise of preventable chronic diseases like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes, finding mechanisms that can help reduce people’s risk is important,” Dr Singh says.

“Our study found that digital and mobile health interventions can have a positive effect on people’s health and wellbeing, not only helping them to increase their physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour, but also improving their diet and quality of sleep.

“Given the wide accessibility and popularity of health apps, their capability to tailor information and deliver timely reminders and prompts, and scalability to diverse populations, they could be a very effective intervention to promote better health.

“Making positive changes to your health and wellbeing can be a challenge – it’s always easier to add kilos to your waistline, than it is to reduce them – but by incorporating digital tools into your everyday life, you’re more likely to achieve positive outcomes.”

The research identified consistent findings across different age groups, health behaviours, interventions, and health populations, indicating that digital health apps could help underpin broader public health campaigns. While researchers recommend further investigation to better understand impacts among specific groups of people, at top line, digital health apps appear to be a win-win for all.

Notes to editors:

• Video footage available here: Health apps deliver real results en masse - YouTube

• This research was conducted by Dr Ben Singh and Prof Carol Maher at the University of South Australia with colleagues from the University of Toronto, Louisiana State University, Flinders University, Central Queensland University, University of Texas, Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, University of Bremen, University of Melbourne, University of Western Australia, Augusta University, and Monash University.

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Media contact: Annabel Mansfield M: +61 479 182 489 E: Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au

Contact for interview:  Dr Ben Singh E: Ben.Singh@unisa.edu.au