Weight Loss Using an mHealth App Among Individuals With Obesity in Different Economic Regions of China: Cohort Study

Abstract

Abstract BackgroundWith the increasing prevalence of obesity, weight loss has become a critical issue in China. Self-managed weight loss through a mobile health (mHealth) app may be a prospective method. However, its practicability in different economic regions of China is unknown. ObjectiveThis study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of self-managed weight loss through an mHealth app among individuals with obesity in different economic regions of China and to demonstrate the feasibility of online self-management for weight loss. MethodsA total of 165,635 Chinese adults who signed up for the mHealth app were included to analyze the body composition characteristics of individuals from different economic regions by χ22t ResultsThere were 32,129 users from low-income regions and 133,506 users from high-income regions. The proportion of users with obesity in low-income regions was higher than in high-income regions, both based on BMI (15,378/32,129, 47.9% vs 59,233/133,506, 44.4%; PPPPPP ConclusionsThis study found a high proportion of mHealth app users with obesity in low-income regions. Individuals with overweight and obesity in different economic regions of China experienced significant weight loss and fat loss using an mHealth app. Moreover, individuals in high-income regions paid more attention to body fat and had better fat reduction effects. Therefore, promoting self-monitoring of weight and PBF through an mHealth app could be an important intervention that could be implemented across all regions of China.