The Study
Effectiveness of Digital Tools on Lifestyle & Health-Related Outcomes Across the Full Continuum of the Maternal Journey: A Systematic Review
This study looked at lots of experiments where moms used apps or digital tools to eat better or move more, and compared them to moms who didn’t. It found that the apps sometimes helped—especially during pregnancy—but not always, and not for everyone. It doesn’t prove the apps caused the improvements, just that they were often linked to them.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review with meta-analysis.
Where the score came from
Apps and digital tools for pregnant women can help them eat more veggies, sleep better, and gain less weight—if they’re overweight. But after the baby is born, these apps don’t seem to help much with losing weight.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 560 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that pool randomized controlled trials, giving the most reliable summary of experimental evidence.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1These changes are modest but meaningful—eating more veggies and sleeping better can reduce pregnancy risks, but not losing weight postpartum means current apps aren’t enough for long-term health.
- 2During pregnancy: veggie intake ↑ (β=0.55), sleep improved with CBT-I (p<0.001), weight gain ↓ in overweight moms.
- 3After birth: no significant weight loss, no big changes in activity or metabolism.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Current Obesity Reports
Year
2026
Authors
Dimitra P Sigala, Priyanka Chaudhary, Theresa H. Schroder, Zoë S. van der Heijden, M. Afeiche, A. Staiano, Maria F. Vasiloglou
Related Content
Claims (7)
There is not enough clinical trial evidence to confirm that personalized nutrition apps work as intended.
Among overweight or obese pregnant women, the use of digital health tools is linked to slightly higher vegetable consumption and lower dietary risk scores.
Pregnant women with overweight or obesity who use digital tools experience less weight gain during pregnancy compared to those who do not, based on consistent findings across multiple studies.
Pregnant individuals who use digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia show improved sleep quality and lower insomnia severity after 18 weeks of use.
Digital tools such as apps and online programs do not produce meaningful differences in weight loss, physical activity levels, or metabolic markers among women after childbirth compared to those who do not use them.
Pregnant individuals who use digital tools tend to report higher levels of light and moderate physical activity, but these reports vary and are not always accurate.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.