Brain Training App Boosts People’s Willpower And Aids Weight Loss, Experts Say

New research suggests that brain training using smartphones could help dieters resist their temptations and prevent weight gain.

The researchers at Cardiff University suggest that using online games to boost willpower among those who are trying to lose weight can help them to cut down around 200 calories per day. It is a "go/no-go" method that involves the participants to alter their responses to unhealthy foods. They asked the study participants to push a button when they were shown an image of healthy food options like broccoli and not do anything when they saw pictures of junk foods like fries, cheeseburgers or crisps. The researchers believe that such games can help to retrain brain impulses and make it easier to resist tempting unhealthy treats.

Experts opine that playing such brain training games for as little as 10 minutes weekly for about a month was sufficient enough to boost willpower and achieve weight loss.

The researchers reviewed several trials using such interventions and they found in one study that overweight individuals saw that their total daily calorie intake reduced by 200. And another study found that snacking on energy-dense foods reduced up to 20 percent within a month alongside weight loss of around 1.5 pounds.

About two in three adults residing in the UK are overweight or obese. The researchers believe that their findings are promising and that they are positive that extensive use of such interventions could help their nation to combat its obesity epidemic.

"A few idle moments could be enough to help dieters improve their daily eating habits," Prof Chris Chambers of Cardiff University and researcher of the study, said. "Smartphones are the most promising way to deliver boosting interventions for encouraging healthy eating because most adults have a smartphone and they can be used during times when we all have a few minutes to spare, such as on the commute to work.”

They also used pictures of wine and beer in some studies to help individuals cut down their alcohol intake.

The experts are about to launch a mass trial involving 50,000 participants with a BMI of 25 or above for daily training of 5-10 minutes for around three months. If they find it effective, they will roll out an app soon after.