An mHealth App (NeoMayor) to Promote Healthy Lifestyles and Brain Health in Older Adults: Design and Validation Study

In Latin American countries, the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases has increased rapidly in recent decades. Mobile health (mHealth) apps are now widely available at low cost and are easy to implement, offering an opportunity to encourage healthy lifestyles in older adults. However, at present, there are no mHealth apps that integrate multidomain healthy lifestyle interventions specifically adapted for older adults in Chile.

This study aims to describe the development and validation of NeoMayor, an mHealth app designed to promote healthy lifestyles as well as cardiovascular and brain health in older adults in Chile.

NeoMayor was developed iteratively with feedback from users and input from a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, researchers, and software developers. Using lean user experience methodology, we ensured user involvement throughout the design and validation process. The research was conducted in 2 phases. In the design and development phase, we created and adapted evidence-based recommendations. In the validation phase, we conducted a pilot study to assess usability, adherence, and cardiovascular health (CVH). A total of 60 functionally independent and cognitively healthy participants used the NeoMayor app for 2 months. Clinical and cognitive assessments were conducted before and after app use. We held 26 cocreation sessions with users, consulted experts, performed a literature review, and collaborated with a team of app developers to create a functional prototype.

The mean age of the participants was 71 (SD 15) years, and 85% (51/60) were female. Participants had an average of 9.8 (SD 3.6) years of education. At the end of the 2-month intervention, usability testing indicated high engagement and adherence, with participants using the app for an average of 6.6 (SD 11.85) minutes per day twice a week. Improvements were observed in global CVH, with the mean Life's Essential 8 CVH index score increasing from 64 (SD 10) to 68 (SD 11; P<.001). Reductions were noted in systolic blood pressure (10 mm Hg) and waist circumference (7 cm), along with increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Participants also showed improvements in self-reported physical activity and diet, higher scores on the Short Physical Performance Battery, and faster performance times on the sit-to-stand and gait speed tests. The app was optimized for broad compatibility with Android devices, safe data collection and storage, and compliance with data privacy regulations following good clinical practices. The final product is ready for testing in a randomized controlled trial.

This study represents the first initiative in Chile to develop and validate an mHealth app to promote healthy lifestyles as well as cardiovascular and brain health in older adults, offering an effective, accessible, and affordable solution for promoting healthy aging in Latin American countries.