A digital behavior change program that can be completed remotely helped older adults lose weight, a new study shows.
The report, which was published in Frontiers in Aging, evaluated the program Wondr and how effective it was at helping people aged 65 or more years lose weight.
“This study demonstrates that Wondr can be used to engage older populations in weight loss,” Renee Rogers, PhD, the lead author, senior scientist, University of Kansas Medical Center, who is also a Wondr Health instructor, said in a statement. “The solution is accessible and easy to navigate with personalized content for aging populations with chronic conditions.”
More than 40% of people aged more than 65 are in an obesity category. Obesity is linked to frailty, cognitive impairment and other chronic issues.
More intensive lifestyle interventions have worked to help older adults lose weight, but they’re also less feasible for the age group, the authors pointed out. Other research on weight loss interventions for older adults largely were conducted in research centers at universities where in-person involvement was required.
As part of the study, researchers assessed 20,443 adults aged 65 to 85, 43.3% of whom were overweight and 46.7% of whom were obese. All of the people used the Wondr program, which included video lessons and access to the curriculum. The program involves tracking weight and exercise. It also provides an online library with topics on healthy aging.
The average weight loss was statistically significant at almost 7 pounds at 15.5 weeks. Weight loss was significantly greater in men (8.36 pounds) versus women (6.33 pounds), and a longer engagement in the program was associated with greater weight loss.
Not only did people shed pounds; they did so despite having other chronic health issues, the authors wrote.
