Mobile applications could become a real health accessory and help to lose weight, quit smoking and manage cardiovascular health.
The most used mobile applications in the United States are those that help with weight loss and those that measure heart rate. To understand their impact on health, the American Heart Association has created a “simple 7” prevention program to help users reduce their cigarette consumption, lose weight, eat a healthier diet and engage in physical activity. regular. To check for changes, they measured glucose levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Researchers from the American Heart Association (AHA) then carried out a meta-analysis of 10 years of studies on this subject to study the impact of health apps on this prevention program.
The findings of the study revealed that using an app helped users to engage in regular physical activity, decrease their nicotine intake and lose weight.
“Our review included a total of 69 studies that investigated the use of mobile technologies to reduce cardiovascular disease risk. 10 targeted weight loss, 14 measured increased physical activity, 14 acted to help quitting smoking, 15 were related to blood sugar management, 13 to hypertension and only 3 related to cholesterol levels.
“This does not mean that they are not effective,” said Professor Lora E. Burke of the University of Pittsburgh (United States) in a press release from the AHA. “Self-monitoring is one of the core strategies for changing heart health behaviors. If a smartphone app can help improve behavior, keep it.”
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