He Metabolic Syndrome (SM) is a highly prevalent condition in the Chilean population, particularly associated with obesityand it is estimated that 40% of those over 15 years of age have this condition, being more common in people with a low educational level.
In this context, a team of researchers from the Center for Healthy Living (CVS) of the University of Concepciónled by the researcher and academic of the Faculty of PharmacyDra. Natalia Ulloa Muñozproposed to study the effects of a physical exercise program on cardiorespiratory health and cardiovascular risk factors, such as waist circumference, in women with metabolic syndrome, monitored remotely using the mobile application Apptivate.
The research was recently published in the Chilean Medical Journalwhere experts compared the results of an in-person exercise approach with an alternative assisted through m-Health (mobile health) technology, as an effective opportunity for those who have difficulty attending in-person programs.
The researcher at the Center for Healthy Living explained that the objective of the project was to address the main barriers that people face in adhering to physical exercise programs.
«Studies carried out in Chile indicate that the causes of dropout in face-to-face programs include the difficulty of transportation, time, economic resources and climatic conditions, among others. These difficulties were aggravated by the pandemic, adding to the fear of contagion of COVID-19,” said the academic.
The study demonstrated that physical exercise monitored via m-Health with Apptivate had comparable results to in-person programs. After ten weeks of intervention, the women with Metabolic Syndrome who participated in the study showed improvements in their cardiorespiratory fitness and one significant reduction in waist circumferencetwo key indicators in the reduction of cardiovascular risk.
This result is crucial, stated Dr. Natalia Ulloa, “since part of the pathophysiology of this syndrome is mitochondrial dysfunction and the chronic generation of reactive oxygen species, with the consequent oxidative damage of cellular structures. “Many studies indicate that physical exercise improves mitochondrial function, reduces oxidative stress and improves cardiorespiratory fitness, which our study was able to demonstrate.”
UdeC Innovation
The mobile application, born at the UdeC Healthy Living Center, was presented as a solution that allows users to carry out exercise sessions from their mobile devices, either synchronously or asynchronously.
One of the biggest challenges in the prevention and treatment of Metabolic Syndrome is the low adherence of patients to exercise programs. Although the study did not formally measure Apptivate’s adherence rate, Dr. Natalia Ulloa said that removing logistical barriers such as time and transportation can potentially increase patient participation.
«Physical exercise via m-Health does not present the barriers that exist for performing exercise in person, which is a motivation for many health centers to implement this way of providing physical exercise and there is a more massive adherence to the physical exercise programs that should be taught from primary care,” he explained.
Another innovative aspect of Apptivate is its ability to offer semi-personalized recommendations. At the end of each session, users answer a questionnaire in the application, allowing health professionals to adjust recommendations based on physical condition and the results obtained in each session.
«The intervention designed through Apptivate can be considered semi-personalized, that is, it develops sessions of different exercise intensity, for different groups of people with different initial physical conditions and is almost personalized in the post-exercise session recommendations. That is, the professional will review an exit questionnaire that the patient will answer from their mobile phone and based on this the professional will make recommendations to each patient,” commented the academic.
In addition, Apptivate can be used in a completely personalized way when monitored in real time, allowing a professional to monitor and adjust the exercises according to the patient’s specific needs.
Dr. Natalia Ulloa stressed that to effectively implement Apptivate in communities with a high prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome, it is necessary that there be collaboration between health teams and the application developers, which will allow its benefits to expand.
