Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence

Abstract Background The lack of effective tools available to health providers for enhancing patient physical activity prompts this study to examine the real-world impact of a physical activity reward-driven app on health outcomes, utilizing Electronic Health Records (EHR) data from Israel’s largest...

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Main Authors: Adi Berliner Senderey, Tom Mushkat, Ofer Hadass, Daphna Carmeli, Samah Hayek, Marie-Laura Charpingnon, Eyal Jacobson, Ran D. Balicer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-03-01
Series:Communications Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00792-z
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author Adi Berliner Senderey
Tom Mushkat
Ofer Hadass
Daphna Carmeli
Samah Hayek
Marie-Laura Charpingnon
Eyal Jacobson
Ran D. Balicer
author_facet Adi Berliner Senderey
Tom Mushkat
Ofer Hadass
Daphna Carmeli
Samah Hayek
Marie-Laura Charpingnon
Eyal Jacobson
Ran D. Balicer
author_sort Adi Berliner Senderey
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The lack of effective tools available to health providers for enhancing patient physical activity prompts this study to examine the real-world impact of a physical activity reward-driven app on health outcomes, utilizing Electronic Health Records (EHR) data from Israel’s largest healthcare organization. Methods Conducting a retrospective cohort study, we matched app-users to non-users based on demographic and clinical characteristics. Results App-users have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (HR 0.95), stroke (HR 0.91), and type 2 diabetes (HR 0.82) compared to non-app users. Higher levels of physical activity among app users further reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease (HR 0.87), stroke (HR 0.84), and type 2 diabetes (HR 0.75) compared with non-app user. However, engagement in mild physical activity, as measured by step count, does not differ from non- users in the incidence of these conditions. Conclusions These findings highlight the potential of app-based interventions to promote higher levels of physical activity and mitigate major vascular and metabolic illnesses.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2730-664X
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series Communications Medicine
spelling doaj-art-04767a3b574e48e68f006b2145c92a8d2025-08-20T03:40:50ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Medicine2730-664X2025-03-01511910.1038/s43856-025-00792-zReal-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidenceAdi Berliner Senderey0Tom Mushkat1Ofer Hadass2Daphna Carmeli3Samah Hayek4Marie-Laura Charpingnon5Eyal Jacobson6Ran D. Balicer7Clalit Research Institute, Innovation Division, Clalit Health ServicesClalit Research Institute, Innovation Division, Clalit Health ServicesClalit Supplementary Health Services, Clalit Health ServicesClalit Supplementary Health Services, Clalit Health ServicesClalit Research Institute, Innovation Division, Clalit Health ServicesInstitute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyClalit Supplementary Health Services, Clalit Health ServicesClalit Research Institute, Innovation Division, Clalit Health ServicesAbstract Background The lack of effective tools available to health providers for enhancing patient physical activity prompts this study to examine the real-world impact of a physical activity reward-driven app on health outcomes, utilizing Electronic Health Records (EHR) data from Israel’s largest healthcare organization. Methods Conducting a retrospective cohort study, we matched app-users to non-users based on demographic and clinical characteristics. Results App-users have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease (HR 0.95), stroke (HR 0.91), and type 2 diabetes (HR 0.82) compared to non-app users. Higher levels of physical activity among app users further reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease (HR 0.87), stroke (HR 0.84), and type 2 diabetes (HR 0.75) compared with non-app user. However, engagement in mild physical activity, as measured by step count, does not differ from non- users in the incidence of these conditions. Conclusions These findings highlight the potential of app-based interventions to promote higher levels of physical activity and mitigate major vascular and metabolic illnesses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00792-z
spellingShingle Adi Berliner Senderey
Tom Mushkat
Ofer Hadass
Daphna Carmeli
Samah Hayek
Marie-Laura Charpingnon
Eyal Jacobson
Ran D. Balicer
Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
Communications Medicine
title Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
title_full Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
title_fullStr Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
title_full_unstemmed Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
title_short Real-world impact of physical activity reward-driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
title_sort real world impact of physical activity reward driven digital app use on cardiometabolic and cardiovascular disease incidence
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00792-z
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