Evidence mapPaperPMID 40773286Full record

ReviewInteractive journal of medical research2025

Guideline-Based Digital Exercise Interventions for Reducing Body Weight and Fat and Promoting Physical Activity in Adults With Overweight and Obesity: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Mohamad Motevalli, Clemens Drenowatz, Derrick Tanous, Gerhard Ruedl, Werner Kirschner, Markus Schauer, Thomas Rosemann, Katharina Wirnitzer

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Interactive journal of medical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Mohamad MotevalliDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6453-9695
Clemens DrenowatzDivision of Sport, Physical Activity and Health, University of Teacher Education Upper Austria, Linz, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3861-5364
Derrick TanousDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5330-1665
Gerhard RuedlDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5036-7984
Werner KirschnerDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3043-866X
Markus SchauerDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7429-9864
Thomas RosemannInstitute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6436-6306
Katharina WirnitzerDepartment of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6208-4655

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDigitally delivered physical exercise interventions are becoming increasingly popular in addressing the obesity epidemic. However, there remains uncertainty on their efficacy regarding the reduction of body weight (BW) and body fat, which may, at least partly, be due to variations in study designs and inconsistent adherence to international physical activity (PA) guidelines.

objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of digital exercise interventions based on PA guidelines in reducing BW and fat in adults with overweight or obesity, as well as their impact on PA-related factors.

methodsThis review was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed in October 2024 across PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Ovid MEDLINE databases. Eligible studies included adults (aged ≥18 years) with objectively confirmed overweight or obesity who used digital interventions aligned with international PA guidelines. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (version 2) tool for randomized controlled trials and the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tool for nonrandomized studies. A random-effects meta-analysis with Hartung-Knapp adjustment was performed using R software.

resultsOut of 4948 studies identified, 188 (3.8%) were screened in full and 30 (0.6%) met the eligibility criteria. Intervention durations ranged from 8 weeks to 24 months (average 6.4, SD 5.5 months). Meta-analysis showed that guideline-based digital exercise interventions significantly reduced BW compared to controls (mean difference [MD]=-1.17 kg; P=.003; I

conclusionsGuideline-based digital PA and exercise interventions show potential in reducing excess BW in adults with overweight or obesity, with stronger effects when compared to nondigital interventions. However, their superiority over traditional methods is uncertain for BMI and body composition. Substantial variations in study designs present challenges in drawing definitive conclusions on specific characteristics of effective digital exercise tools.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42024620020; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42024620020.

Indexed as

adulthoodbody compositioneHealthfitnessmHealthmobile healthsmartphonetechnologytrainingubiquitous HealthuHealthweight loss

Identifiers

PMID40773286
PMCPMC12371298

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.