The United States is getting bigger, and not in a good way. More and more people are becoming obese in this country, which leads to a whole host of other problems and medical conditions. But for so many people, the idea of losing weight seems so daunting. Scientists are finding that digital health tools are excellent helpers for people who are trying to lose weight.
The problem of obesity
Obesity is one of the most prevalent underlying problems for other health problems for people today, including cancers, heart disease, strokes, and many other maladies. And the rate of obese people is increasing.
Medical News Today explains that, “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% in 1999–2000 to 42.4% in 2017–2018.”
Self monitoring
The prevalence of obesity and its impact on health is devastating for the many people it affects. It is clear that something needs to be done to give those who are obese a chance at a healthier life style. That is where personal responsibility comes into play.
There are many interventions that people can undertake to make a difference in their own health. Taking charge of your diet and moving your body more with exercise are both important things you can do to be more healthy.
And researchers are just beginning to understand the importance of self monitoring tools like apps where you type in what you eat, or watches that count your steps. There are several keys to using self monitoring devices. If a person has to input numbers rather than just wear a watch that counts steps, this is more likely to work for long term weight loss. And short term success with self monitoring is more likely than when the monitoring is done over the long term long term. When the process runs on too long, people lose focus and success is not guaranteed.
According to Medical News Today, “Overall, 74% of interventions, including digital self-monitoring, were positively correlated with weight loss. Association with weight loss did not vary much between the type of self-monitoring, such as diet, exercise, weight, or a combination of these.”
In conclusion, obesity is getting worse in the country, and something needs to be done so that people are able to avoid costly diseases and other physical problems. Self monitoring aids the situation by giving people the tools they need to take care of their own health.
