An Innovative Care Model Integrating Mobile Health Support to Promote Weight Management in Adults With Overweight or Obesity

Launched by THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG · May 20, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This Hong Kong study is testing whether a weight‑management program that uses a smartphone app and a fitness tracker can help adults with overweight or obesity lose weight and improve eating and activity habits. The study uses a stepped‑wedge design with three NGO sites: all participants start with standard care, and over four phases different groups switch to the EMA‑based program at different times, so by the end everyone receives the full program. About 876 adults are planned to enroll. To be eligible, you would need to be 18 or older, living in Hong Kong, have a body mass index (BMI) of 23 or higher (a Hong Kong definition for overweight), be able to read Chinese, own a smartphone with internet, and be able to move without a gait aid. Exclusions include having a terminal illness, pregnancy or planning pregnancy soon, current cancer treatment, a psychiatric or eating disorder, certain digestive conditions, or already participating in intensive weight‑loss or exercise programs.

If you take part in the EMA‑based program, you’ll complete four 7‑day periods where you report your diet (3 days) and physical activity (4 days) through a private mobile app. A Fitbit will track steps and activity, and you’ll receive counseling from a nurse using a simple 5‑step approach (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) plus personalized plans from a dietitian and a fitness instructor. You’ll get ongoing support messages between sessions. Participants in the control phase get brief phone guidance and general health information, and later in the study they can receive the full EMA program. The main goal is to see how much weight changes by 6 months, with additional look‑ups at 3 and 12 months for activity, diet, body measurements, and some blood tests. Your privacy is protected, and the study may share de‑identified results after completion.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Hong Kong residents aged ≥18 years;
• • 2. able to read and communicate in Chinese;
• • 3. own a smartphone with internet access;
• • 4. have good mobility alone without gait aid;
• • 5. body mass index ≥ 23.0;
• • 6. and no contraindication for physical activity as evidenced by: If aged \< 70: do not meet any criteria in PAR-Q, or sign declaration of having medical clearance if meet any criteria in PAR-Q; If aged ≥ 70: sign the declaration about conducting physical activity frequently or having medical clearance
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • 1. Have a terminal illness (e.g., advanced cancer, dementia, pulmonary, neurological, motor-neuron, and advanced cardiovascular disease) or with a life expectancy of less than 6 months;
• • 2. currently receiving treatment for any cancer (active cancer patients) or cancer survivor of any GI cancers (e.g. colorectal cancer, stomach cancer);
• • 3. lactating, pregnant or planning for pregnancy in the coming 6 months;
• • 4. have current diagnosis of psychiatric disorder;
• • 5. have previous diagnosis of eating disorder;
• • 6. have diagnoses of gastrointestinal conditions (e.g. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn's Disease, Coeliac Disease);
• • 7. currently receiving intensive diet or exercise treatment;
• • 8. have clinical obesity (e.g. confirmation of excess body fat plus limitations of day-to-day activities or signs or symptoms of obesity-related organ dysfunction). Examples of obesity-related organ dysfunction include NAFLD with hepatic fibrosis, the cluster of hyperglycaemia, high triglyceride levels, and low HDL cholesterol levels. Examples of limitations of day-to-day activities include significant age-adjusted limitations of mobility and/or other basic ADL (e.g. bathing, dressing, toileting, continence, eating).