Retention, Fasting Patterns, and Weight Loss With an Intermittent Fasting App: A Large-scale, 52-week Observational Study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Torres ◽  
Joy L Lee ◽  
Seho Park ◽  
R Christian Di Lorenzo ◽  
Jonathan P Branam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Intermittent Fasting ◽  
Dietary Control ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Linear Predictor ◽  
Loss Analysis

BACKGROUND Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular approach to dietary control that focuses on the timing of eating rather than the quantity and content of caloric intake. IF practitioners typically seek to improve their weight and other health factors. Millions of practitioners have turned to purpose-built mobile applications to help them track and adhere to their fasts and monitor changes in their weight and other biometrics. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to quantify user retention, fasting patterns, and weight loss by users of two commonly used IF mobile apps. We aimed to describe starting BMI, amount of fasting, frequency of weight tracking, and other demographics as correlates of retention and weight change. METHODS We assembled height, weight, fasting and demographic data for adult users (age 18-100yo) of the LIFE Fasting Tracker and LIFE Extend apps from 2018-2020. Retention up to 52 weeks was quantified based on recorded fasts and correlated with user demographics. Users who provided height and at least two weights and whose first fast and weight records were contemporaneous were included in the weight loss analysis. Fasting was quantified as Extended Fasting Hours (hours beyond 12 in a fast) averaged per Day (EFH/Day). RESULTS 792,692 users were followed for retention based on 26 million recorded fasts. 132,775 (16.7%) of users were retained at 13 weeks, 54,881 (6.9%) at 26 weeks, and 16,478 (2.1%) at 52 weeks, allowing 4 consecutive weeks of inactivity. Weight loss in the qualifying cohort (n=161,346) was strongly correlated with starting BMI and EFH/Day. Users with BMI ≥ 40 lost 11.3% of their starting weight by 52 weeks versus a slight weight gain on average for users with starting BMI <23. Additionally, EFH/Day was an approximately linear predictor of weight loss for a given time point and starting BMI. By week 26, users lost over 1% of their starting weight per EFH/Day on average. Furthermore, users who recorded their weight monthly lost considerably more weight than those who did not (eg, 8.5% vs 3.7% weight loss at week 13 for users with BMI ≥25). By 26 weeks, 69.2% (2985/4313) of users with starting BMI ≥ 25 who recorded monthly weights lost at least 5% of their starting weight, and 39.9% (1722/4313) lost at least 10% body weight. CONCLUSIONS Intermittent Fasting with the LIFE mobile apps appears to be a sustainable approach to weight reduction in the overweight and obese population. Healthy weight and underweight individuals do not lose much weight on average, even with extensive fasting. Obese users lose substantial weight over time, with more weight loss in those who fast more and who record their weight more frequently.

scholarly journals Use of mobile applications in the management of overweight and obesity in primary and secondary care

JRSM Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 205427041984382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asmaa Alnuaimi ◽  
Salman Rawaf ◽  
Sondus Hassounah ◽  
Mohamad Chehab
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Secondary Care ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Current Systematic Review ◽  
Scale Population

Summary Mobile technology has emerged as a potentially useful application in the process of facilitating weight loss management. While several empirical studies have demonstrated the positive effects of mobile-based interventions, the extent of such effectiveness is still a topic of debate. Thus, the current systematic review involved searching electronic databases for studies on the use of mobile app-based interventions in the management of overweight and obesity among adults over 18 years of age in a primary and secondary care setting. The results of the review revealed that mobile apps are effective tools for weight loss management and sustaining such loss when compared to standard interventions. However, further research is needed to consider the sustained benefits and the applicability of mobile app-based interventions for large-scale population coverage.

scholarly journals Late-life intermittent fasting decreases aging-related frailty and increases renal hydrogen sulfide production in a sexually dimorphic manner

GeroScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoko O. Henderson ◽  
Nazmin Bithi ◽  
Christopher Link ◽  
Jie Yang ◽  
Rebecca Schugar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Sulfide ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Production Capacity ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Model Organisms ◽  
Intermittent Fasting ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Average Life Expectancy ◽  
Multiple Components

AbstractGlobal average life expectancy continues to rise. As aging increases the likelihood of frailty, which encompasses metabolic, musculoskeletal, and cognitive deficits, there is a need for effective anti-aging treatments. It is well established in model organisms that dietary restriction (DR), such as caloric restriction or protein restriction, enhances health and lifespan. However, DR is not widely implemented in the clinic due to patient compliance and its lack of mechanistic underpinnings. Thus, the present study tested the effects of a somewhat more clinically applicable and adoptable DR regimen, every-other-day (EOD) intermittent fasting, on frailty in 20-month-old male and female C57BL/6 mice. Frailty was determined by a series of metabolic, musculoskeletal, and cognitive tasks performed prior to and toward the end of the 2.5-month dietary intervention. Late-life EOD fasting attenuated overall energy intake, hypothalamic inflammatory gene expression, and frailty in males. However, it failed to reduce overall caloric intake and had a little positive effect in females. Given that the selected benefits of DR are dependent on augmented production of the gasotransmitter hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and that renal H2S production declines with age, we tested the effects of EOD fasting on renal H2S production capacity and its connection to frailty in males. EOD fasting boosted renal H2S production, which positively correlated with improvements in multiple components of frailty tasks. Therefore, late-life initiated EOD fasting is sufficient to reduce aging-related frailty, at least in males, and suggests that renal H2S production capacity may modulate the effects of late-life EOD fasting on frailty.

scholarly journals Interactive Exploration of Large-Scale UI Datasets with Design Maps

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A Leiva ◽  
Asutosh Hota ◽  
Antti Oulasvirta
Keyword(s):  
User Interface ◽  
Point Cloud ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Design Tools ◽  
Support Design ◽  
Design Exploration ◽  
Clustering Techniques ◽  
Cloud Points

Abstract Designers are increasingly using online resources for inspiration. How to best support design exploration without compromising creativity? We introduce and study Design Maps, a class of point-cloud visualizations that makes large user interface datasets explorable. Design Maps are computed using dimensionality reduction and clustering techniques, which we analyze thoroughly in this paper. We present concepts for integrating Design Maps into design tools, including interactive visualization, local neighborhood exploration and functionality to integrate existing solutions to the design at hand. These concepts were implemented in a wireframing tool for mobile apps, which was evaluated with actual designers performing realistic tasks. Overall, designers find Design Maps supporting their creativity (avg. CSI score of 74/100) and indicate that the maps producing consistent whitespacing within cloud points are the most informative ones.

Time-Restricted Eating, Intermittent Fasting, and Fasting-Mimicking Diets in Weight Loss

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maura Fanti ◽  
Amrendra Mishra ◽  
Valter D. Longo ◽  
Sebastian Brandhorst
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Intermittent Fasting

Changes in Health Behaviors Associated With Weight Gain by Weight Classification During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 089011712110229
Author(s):  
Kristie Rupp ◽  
Ciarán P. Friel
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Health Behaviors ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Caloric Intake ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Online Panels

Purpose: To determine whether perceived changes (i.e. perception of engagement during the pandemic relative to pre-pandemic) in specific health behaviors differ by weight status (i.e. healthy weight, overweight, obese). Design: Cross-sectional. Recruitment took place between June-August 2020, via social media posts and Qualtrics online panels. Setting: Participants completed the survey online through the Qualtrics platform. Sample: Analyses included N = 502 participants (≥18 years); 45.2% healthy weight (n = 227), 28.5% overweight (n = 143), and 26.3% obese (n = 132). Measures: Study-specific survey items included questions about demographics and perceived changes in health behaviors. Analysis: Logistic regression models, adjusted for age, race, ethnicity, gender, education, and COVID-19 diagnosis, assessed the odds of perceiving changes in health behaviors considered a risk for weight gain. Results: Participants with obesity, but not overweight, were significantly more likely to report deleterious changes to health behaviors compared to healthy weight peers, including: (1) decreased fruit/vegetable consumption [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): (1.13, 3.26)]; (2) increased processed food consumption [AOR = 1.85; 95%CI: (1.15, 3.00)]; (3) increased caloric intake [AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: (1.06, 2.61)]; (4) decreased physical activity [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.31, 3.28)]; and (5) deterioration in sleep quality [AOR = 2.07; 95%CI: (1.32, 3.25)]. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that adults with obesity may be at greater risk for unhealthy behaviors during a period of prolonged social distancing, potentially exacerbating the obesity epidemic.

scholarly journals Effect of Mixed Nuts on Body Weight and Composition, and Gut Microbiome (P08-054-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih Lung Woo ◽  
Dina Ben-Nissan ◽  
Zahra Ezzat-Zadeh ◽  
Jieping Yang ◽  
Lijun Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Plasma Lipids ◽  
Plasma Lipid ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Weight Changes ◽  
Fecal Microbiome ◽  
Tree Nuts

Abstract Objectives This study was designed to assess the effects of mixed nut consumption on body weight and composition, and gut microbiome in obese individuals. Primary outcome was change in body weight and composition. Secondary outcomes include gut microbiome composition, inflammatory markers, and plasma lipids. Methods The reported results are from an interim analysis (n = 50) of a randomized, placebo controlled, parallel study. Total enrollment target is 154 overweight/obese subjects (BMI 27–35 kg/m2). Participants were randomly assigned to consume either 1.5oz mixed tree nuts or pretzels with equal calorie content daily for 24 weeks. The study included a 12-week weight loss phase (500 kcal per day less than total daily energy expenditure), followed by a 12-week weight maintenance phase. Body composition, fasting blood, and stool samples were collected at baseline, week 12 and 24. Body composition, and vitals were analyzed, whereas plasma lipid profile, fecal microbiome, and microbiome metabolites analysis is still pending. Results At week 12, subjects from both the pretzel (n = 15, 10 dropouts; P = 0.009) and nut group (n = 22, 3 dropouts; P = 0.038) lost significant amount of weight. The trend of weight changes did not differ between groups (P = 0.530). Subjects from both groups were able to sustain weight loss through 24 weeks (pretzel: 81.43 ± 3.85 kg at baseline vs. 79.43 ± 4.08 kg at week 24, P = 0.028; nut: 84.26 ± 3.78 kg at baseline vs. 82.38 ± 3.72 kg at week 24, P = 0.026). At week 12, fat mass in both groups was significantly decreased (pretzel: P = 0.002; nut: P = 0.012). The trend of fat changes did not differ between groups (P = 0.547). Subjects from both groups were able to sustain fat loss through 24 weeks (pretzel: 30.84 ± 1.75 kg at baseline vs. 29.25 ± 2.12 kg at week 24, P = 0.024; nut: 31.51 ± 1.56 kg vs 30.21 ± 1.81 kg at week 24, P = 0.04). Muscle mass, and blood pressure were not significantly different between both groups. Conclusions Our data suggested that tree nuts could be consumed as part of a healthy weight loss meal plan without concern of causing weight gain. Further analysis of the remaining samples is needed to confirm results. Due to higher dropouts in the pretzel group, future intention-to-treat analysis is also needed to eliminate bias. Funding Sources This study is supported by the International Tree Nut Council.

scholarly journals Uric acid is associated with adiposity factors, especially with fat mass reduction during weight loss in obese children and adolescents

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Niu ◽  
Xue-lin Zhao ◽  
Hui-juan Ruan ◽  
Xiao-meng Mao ◽  
Qing-ya Tang
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Uric Acid ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Fat Mass ◽  
Dietary Control ◽  
Obese Children ◽  
Fat Percentage ◽  
Before And After

Abstract Background Current adult studies suggest that uric acid (UA) is associated with body fat, but the relationship in obese children is unclear. Thus, we aim to evaluate the association between uric acid and body composition of obese children. Methods A total of 79 obese children were included in this study, and 52 children (34 boys and 18 girls) underwent a 6-week weight loss camp, including 34 boys and 18 girls. Six-week weight-loss interventions were performed on all participants through aerobic exercise and appropriate dietary control. Laboratory tests and body composition were collected before and after the intervention. Results Before the intervention, correlation analysis demonstrated that uric acid was positively correlated with height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, fat mass (FM), and free fat mass (FFM) with adjusting for age and gender (P < 0.05). After 6 weeks of intervention, the participants gained 3.12 ± 0.85 cm in height, body fat percentage decreased by 7.23 ± 1.97%, and lost 10.30 ± 2.83 kg in weight. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that uric acid at baseline was associated with FM reduction during weight loss (P < 0.05). Conclusions This study is the first report that uric acid is associated with BMI and FM, and may play an important role in the reduction of FM during weight loss in obese children and adolescents. The interaction between UA and adiposity factors and its underlying mechanisms need to be further explored. Trial registration This study was registered in Clinical Trials.gov (NCT03490448) and approved by the Ethics Committee of Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

scholarly journals Exploiting Proximity-Based Mobile Apps for Large-Scale Location Privacy Probing

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Zhao ◽  
Xiapu Luo ◽  
Xiaobo Ma ◽  
Bo Bai ◽  
Yankang Zhao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Real World ◽  
Emission Reduction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Location Privacy ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Physical World ◽  
Typical Type ◽  
Location Spoofing

Proximity-based apps have been changing the way people interact with each other in the physical world. To help people extend their social networks, proximity-based nearby-stranger (NS) apps that encourage people to make friends with nearby strangers have gained popularity recently. As another typical type of proximity-based apps, some ridesharing (RS) apps allowing drivers to search nearby passengers and get their ridesharing requests also become popular due to their contribution to economy and emission reduction. In this paper, we concentrate on the location privacy of proximity-based mobile apps. By analyzing the communication mechanism, we find that many apps of this type are vulnerable to large-scale location spoofing attack (LLSA). We accordingly propose three approaches to performing LLSA. To evaluate the threat of LLSA posed to proximity-based mobile apps, we perform real-world case studies against an NS app named Weibo and an RS app called Didi. The results show that our approaches can effectively and automatically collect a huge volume of users’ locations or travel records, thereby demonstrating the severity of LLSA. We apply the LLSA approaches against nine popular proximity-based apps with millions of installations to evaluate the defense strength. We finally suggest possible countermeasures for the proposed attacks.

Phenotypic selection in a population of Crepis tectorum ssp. pumila (Asteraceae)

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Phenotypic Selection ◽  
Direct Selection ◽  
Surprising Result ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Ecotypic Differentiation ◽  
Crepis Tectorum

A 3-year demographic study was conducted to reveal targets of selection on morphology and life history in a population of Crepis tectorum ssp. pumila, a winter annual plant confined to calcareous grasslands (alvars) on the Baltic island of Öland (south Sweden). I calculated the selection differential to describe the change in the mean value of a character due to selection and used multiple regression analyses to partition the direct effect of selection on the trait from indirect responses of selection on other traits. Rosette leaf number, a convenient measure of plant size, was strongly correlated with both viability and fertility (fitness). There was also a strong relationship between fitness and the extent to which the plants expressed traits characterizing this particular taxon. Multiple regression analyses indicated direct selection favouring plants with deeply lobed leaves and a densely branched stem, two distinctive traits of ssp. pumila believed to be adaptive in the alvar habitat. Only stem height was subject to both direct and indirect selection in the wrong direction; taller individuals were more successful than those with a shorter stem, a surprising result considering the inferred advantage of a short stature in the exposed alvar habitat. Selection on other traits assumed to be ecologically important (germination time, flowering time, and seed size) was found to be either absent or variable in direction when other traits were held constant. The failure of plants to survive to the flowering stage in the last two summers indicates strong selection for plants that produce a high percentage of dormant seeds. Overall, the contemporary selection regime as revealed by demographic data was only partly congruent with predictions regarding historical selection pressures based on large-scale patterns of variation (ecotypic differentiation). Key words: Crepis tectorum, ecotypic differentiation, life history, morphology, phenotypic selection.

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