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Original article| Volume 64, ISSUE 4, P443-449, April 2019

Smartphone-based Healthy Weight Management Intervention for Chinese American Adolescents: Short-term Efficacy and Factors Associated With Decreased Weight

      Abstract

      Purpose

      This study aimed to examine the short-term efficacy of a smartphone-based intervention for Chinese American adolescents who are overweight or obese and to explore factors associated with decreased body mass index (BMI).

      Methods

      A randomized controlled study design was used. Intervention group received culturally appropriate and tailored educational program for weight management while control group received general health information. Anthropometrics, blood pressure, levels of physical and sedentary activity, diet, self-efficacy, and quality of life were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Linear mixed-effects models and regression models were used to analyze outcomes.

      Results

      The study included 40 adolescent participants. Adolescents in the intervention reduced their BMI (z = −4.89, p < .001), BMI z score (z = −4.72, p < .001), sugary beverage (z = −.44, P = .001), and TV and computer time (z = −.51, p < .001) and increasing in self-efficacy in nutrition and physical activity significantly more than those in the control group. BMI reduction was significantly correlated with decreased fast food consumption and increased physical activity (F = 6.99, p = .007, r2 = .40). Being female and decreased sugary beverage consumption were related to decreased BMI z score (F = 8.38, p = .003, r2 = .511).

      Conclusions

      A culturally appropriate smartphone-based intervention has great potential to reduce obesity and improve adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Reducing sugary beverages and fast food intake and decreasing sedentary time are associated with decreased BMI among adolescents who are overweight or obese.

      Keywords

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      Linked Article

      • Erratum
        Journal of Adolescent HealthVol. 64Issue 3
        • Preview
          In Chen J-L, Guedes CM, Lung AE. Smartphone-Based Healthy Weight Management Intervention for Chinese American Adolescents: Short-Term Efficacy and Factors Associated With Decreased Weight. J Adolesc Health 2019;64:418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2018.08.022 , the values in Table 1 are off by one row. The corrected Table 1 appears below. In addition, in Table 2, “Soda drink” should be “Sugar-sweetened drink.”
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      • Smart Management of a Persistently Puzzling Problem—Adolescent Obesity
        Journal of Adolescent HealthVol. 64Issue 4
        • Preview
          Adolescent obesity, now a significant part of a worldwide epidemic among all age groups, was one of the first research topics that pioneer founders of Adolescent Medicine studied over 50 years ago [1,2]. Yet, we still lack effective solutions for this important problem.
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