Caregiver App Use and Child Behavioral Adherence in Relation to Obesity-Related Outcomes in an mHealth App-Assisted Childhood Obesity Intervention: Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Trial.
Shiyu Yan, Jinlang Lyu, Chunjie Yin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This secondary analysis of a cluster randomized trial involving 684 child-caregiver dyads in China examined the impact of caregiver app-use adherence and child behavioral adherence on obesity-related outcomes. Results indicated that higher caregiver app-use frequency and duration were significantly associated with reductions in children's BMI (β=-0.19; P =.005) and body fat percentage (BFP) (β=-0.70; P =.005), while greater child adherence correlated with improved physical fitness.
Key findings
- Higher caregiver app-use frequency was associated with a reduction in BMI (β=-0.19; P =.005).
- Greater child behavioral adherence correlated with lower body fat percentage (BFP) (β=-0.63; P =.01).
- Children with high caregiver and child adherence showed lower BMI (β=-0.22; P =.02) and BFP (β=-1.18 percentage points; P =.001).
- Significant interaction between app-use frequency and duration was noted for rope-skipping performance (P =.05).
Why it matters
Understanding the roles of caregiver and child adherence in mHealth interventions can inform strategies to enhance engagement and effectiveness in childhood obesity prevention programs, ultimately improving health outcomes.