Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) Mobile App Pilot

The enormous burden of hypertension (HTN) creates a need for effective, scalable, low risk
interventions. The DASH program of diet and exercise based lifestyle change is the most
well-established, evidence-based behavioral intervention to control HTN. Its recommendations
are central to HTN control national guidelines and consumer health products aimed at
behavioral management of HTN. However, translating these recommendations into
population-wide, inexpensive, sustainable programs have to date proven largely unrealized.
The objective of the proposed study is to determine the efficacy of a HTN intervention
behavior change platform, 'DASH Mobile', in which patients with HTN receive counseling about
the DASH diet, physical activity and HTN related behaviors from health coaches trained in
evidenced-based behavioral counseling methods. DASH mobile has two primary components: 1) a
smartphone app that captures patients' behavioral data using intuitive self-tracking for
DASH diet intake and Bluetooth wireless sensors for blood pressure, weight and physical
activity and 2) a web-based coaching portal through which health coaches view and respond to
patients' behavioral data and assist them in setting goals for changing behaviors consistent
with their HTN behavior change plan. We aim to conduct a pilot trial of 30 HTN patients to
determine improvement from baseline to 3-month follow-up in physiological (blood pressure,
weight); behavioral (diet & physical activity); and psychological (e.g., quality of life)
measures over a 3-month intervention. Completing this research will result in preliminary
feasibility and efficacy data for a larger randomized efficacy trial.