Start Date
10-12-2017 12:00 AM
Description
We examined the efficacy of a mobile app for personal weight management by using a hidden Markov modeling approach, which captures the dynamics in the state of self-regulation of individuals to achieve their desired weight reduction objectives. The model illuminates the direct and indirect treatments that affect self-regulation state and success of overweight and obesity management. Results show that two self-regulation states (weak and strong) are optimal for describing the dynamics in the data. Relatively easy direct treatments, such as reducing calorie intake and relying on artificial electronic assistance, are more effective in the weak self-regulation state, whereas strenuous interventions, such as exercising, are more helpful in the strong state. The use of the mobile app is considerably more effective than the use of its PC channel in influencing users’ self-regulation states. Individuals who do not use either channel fail to transition from the weak to the strong state.
Recommended Citation
Kwon, Hyeokkoo Eric; Dewan, Sanjeev; Oh, Wonseok; and Kim, Taekyung, "Efficacy of a Health App for Obesity and Overweight Management: A Hidden Markov Model" (2017). ICIS 2017 Proceedings. 4.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2017/IT-and-Healthcare/Presentations/4
Efficacy of a Health App for Obesity and Overweight Management: A Hidden Markov Model
We examined the efficacy of a mobile app for personal weight management by using a hidden Markov modeling approach, which captures the dynamics in the state of self-regulation of individuals to achieve their desired weight reduction objectives. The model illuminates the direct and indirect treatments that affect self-regulation state and success of overweight and obesity management. Results show that two self-regulation states (weak and strong) are optimal for describing the dynamics in the data. Relatively easy direct treatments, such as reducing calorie intake and relying on artificial electronic assistance, are more effective in the weak self-regulation state, whereas strenuous interventions, such as exercising, are more helpful in the strong state. The use of the mobile app is considerably more effective than the use of its PC channel in influencing users’ self-regulation states. Individuals who do not use either channel fail to transition from the weak to the strong state.