Clinical trial to explore Lose It! App for postpartum weight loss

In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physician-researchers at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center MacDonald Women's Hospital are exploring the use of "Lose It!," a free Smartphone application (app), for postpartum weight loss. Principal Investigator Justin Lappen, MD, Assistant Director, Residency Program, Department of OB/GYN at UH Case Medical Center MacDonald Women's Hospital, is recruiting postpartum patients to measure the effectiveness of using a Smartphone app to lose weight after pregnancy.

"Smartphones and Smartphone app usage has quickly transformed the way people communicate and track their daily schedules and behaviors," says Dr. Lappen, who is also Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "Obesity has become such a major problem in the U.S. among young women and excess weight gain during pregnancy is harder to lose and may contribute to the obesity epidemic. We are looking to evaluate the correlation of using a Smartphone app and weight loss for postpartum women."

Results from previous studies that evaluated the role of diet/nutrition counseling and exercise on weight loss in postpartum women have shown only modest impact on weight reduction. No prior studies have evaluated the use of a Smartphone app dedicated to tracking nutrition and exercise to facilitate weight loss.

Lose It! app users can log all diet and exercise activity on their Smartphone. The app features a sophisticated weight tracker, dining out calorie counter, and calculates calories burned by exercise.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists one third of adult women in the United States are obese. During pregnancy, obese women are at increased risk for maternal and fetal complications and excess weight gain during pregnancy substantially contributes to postpartum weight retention and the obesity epidemic.

Researchers are recruiting women at their post-partum visits and following them for three months.