Do you use mobile apps on your weight loss journey? Well, a new research has concluded that weight-loss apps don't contribute much to weight loss for young adults.

According to a report in Gazette Xtra, the study conducted by researchers from Duke University found out that using weight loss smartphone apps did not make a difference for young adults who are trying to lose weight compared to young adults who did not use the app at all.

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354 young adults from ages 18 to 35, who are overweight or obese, participated in the study. The participants were divided into three groups

The first group of participants used an app that was specially designed for the study. Aside from tracking calories, weight and exercise, the app also offers goal setting, games and social support. The second group was given weekly personal coaching sessions and monthly phone follow-ups. Members of the group were encouraged to track their progress using their smartphones. The last group was given nothing at all - except for three handouts about healthy eating and exercise.

The researchers tracked the participants' improvement in 6 months, one year and two years. The personal coaching group showed significant difference after 6 months - losing more weight than the other two groups but not after the follow up in one year and two years. However, the group using smartphone apps did not show significant changes in weight loss.

Lead researcher and professor of medicine at Duke University School of Medicine Dr. Laura Svetsky expressed disappointment in the results of the study saying that they thought weight loss apps would help due to their popularity and influence among people.

"Given the seeming power of cellphone apps and, frankly, the popularity of these health and fitness apps in the commercial world, we thought this might be a really good strategy to provide effective intervention very broadly and potentially at low cost," she said, according to Gazette Xtra.

The professor said that there could be a tendency that people will stop using the app for a while and the level of intensity in an app should also be considered. She also suggested making weight loss apps more "engaging."

"We know that in general, the more engaged people are in intervention, the more they're going to succeed from it," Dr. Svetkey said. "And so perhaps we need to rethink how to make a weight-loss intervention on your cellphone more engaging."

The results of the study should not prompt the developers of the mobile weight loss apps to give up, she says, suggesting that intense research should be conducted to understand "how to harness these technologies and leverage their strengths in a way that will lead people to change their eating and exercise behaviors."

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