Bariatric surgery outcomes are variable, often with suboptimal weight loss and/or weight relapse. Smartphone coaching applications offer a potential window of affecting behavioral change to improve outcomes in a widespread and cost-effective way, but clinical efficacy is unknown. In phase I of this pilot study, we investigated effects of pre-surgical treatment with a mobile coaching platform Noom Coach for Bariatric Health.

Forty adult candidates (82.5% female) for bariatric surgery were recruited for pilot randomized controlled trial (Noom Bariatric Health vs. Standard Care). All participants’ dietary intake was assessed initially and after 8weeks of intervention, with the 24-hour dietary recall (ASA24) to analyze food intake. Paired t-tests were used to compare within group changes in dietary parameters. Independent t-tests were used to assess inter-group differences at the end of treatment.

Post intervention, both Noom and Control groups consumed numerically less total calories, empty calories, fat, and carbohydrates compared to their baseline. Reduction in empty calorie consumption was significant only in Noom (t=2.39, p=0.04, Cohen’s d=0.96) and not in Control (t=0.89, p=0.40, Cohen’s d=0.30). Both total kcal and total fat intake showed larger numerical reductions within Noom (kcal,fat: t=1.94,2.07; p=0.08,0.07; Cohen’s d=1.03,1.06) compared to reductions seen within Control (kcal,fat; t=0.41,0.48; p=0.69,0.64; Cohen’s d=0.14,0.16). There were no other significant changes in macronutrients and micronutrients within groups. At the end of treatment, Noom compared to Control groups had significantly lower percentage fat intake (t=3.02, p=0.008, Cohen’s d=1.42) without initial difference at screening (t=1.12, p=0.27, Cohen’s d=0.36).

Though limited due to small sample size, preliminary results appear promising that mobile coachingintervention may have beneficial effects on diet pre-bariatric surgery. We will discuss the impact of these findings on potential post-surgery outcomes.

Funding Acknowledgements: NIH R44DK116370, Mount Sinai Hospital