Background: Cardiovascular Diseases are the main cause of death, with obesity being an important risk factor predicted to rise markedly in the coming years. In this context, technology-based interventions have been developed as an alternative to face-to-face interventions. Objective: We aimed to systematically review and evaluate the effectiveness of digital interventions compared with conventional in-person approaches for weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, ensuring comparable intensity and frequency. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus databases up to April 2025, using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Selected studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental, and prospective studies in adults (body mass index BMI ≥25 kg/m 2 ) with interventions delivered through applications, websites, videocalls, wearables, chatbots, or similar tools, compared against exclusively face-to-face interventions of matched intensity and frequency. This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251249135). Results: Of the 12 eligible studies (1.932 participants), 7 were RCTs. Most trials (83%) indicated no significant differences in weight loss results between digital and face-to-face groups, with equivalent reductions observed in BMI, body weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage. Two studies demonstrated the superiority of traditional interventions. Conclusion: Digital interventions result in comparable short-term effectiveness to face-to-face approaches for weight loss in adults. However, the evidence is supported by a small number of low-quality studies. Future studies are necessary to confirm and generalize these findings, identify the most effective digital strategies, and determine optimal intervention duration.
Athanasopoulou et al. (Wed,) studied this question.