Newswise — They’re the dinky digital tools you can download in a few seconds, but despite their literal size, health and fitness apps pack a real punch when it comes to getting results, say researchers at the University of South Australia. In a new study , researchers synthesised data from 206,873 people across 47 studies, finding that digital health tools – like mobile apps, websites, and text messages – can significantly improve health and wellbeing by keeping you active, boosting steps, and improving your diet and sleep. Specifically, electronic and mobile health interventions can help people achieve: 1329 more steps / day 55 minutes more moderate-to-vigorous exercise / week 45 minutes more overall physical activity / week 7 hours less sedentary behaviour / week 103 fewer calories consumed / day 20% more fruits and vegetables consumed / day 5 grams less saturated fat consumed / day 9 kilograms of weight loss over 12 weeks Improved sleep quality Less severe insomnia.
With the global economic burden of chronic diseases estimated to exceed US $47 trillion by 2023 , effective interventions are in high demand. According to the World Health Organization, one in eight people are now living with obesity ; 422 million people have diabetes ; and cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide . Lead researcher, UniSA’s Dr Ben Singh , says people’s health behaviours must change if we are to reduce the incidence of chronic disease.
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