Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Successful obesity treatment involves frequent follow-up contacts, but the use of mHealth contacts has not been evaluated. We aimed to investigate patients' use of an mHealth chat in their obesity treatment. METHODS: In this descriptive observational study, we included 492 patients, 16 years or older, from a specialist obesity treatment clinic in Sweden. We assessed chat usage during their first 6 months of treatment, and compared subgroups, considering factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status, prescribed weight management medications and digital welcome letter. RESULTS: Participants had a mean BMI of 42.5 kg/m(2) and a mean age of 30.5 years, 73.4% were women. Over 90% of participants had low socioeconomic status and 23.8% were prescribed weight management medications. Almost all participants (90%) used the chat function during their first 6 months of treatment. Younger participants, those prescribed weight management medications, and those who received a digital welcome letter before admission were the most active users. Socioeconomic status or sex did not appear to be associated with chat activity. CONCLUSION: Integrating mHealth solutions, including chat function, into obesity treatment programmes can be a way to maintain patient contact, also for patients with low socioeconomic status. Healthcare provider-initiated digital interactions may encourage greater patient engagement.