New Health App Trial in Västerbotten Aims to Boost Lifestyle Changes and Public Health

Researchers at Umeå University, in collaboration with Region Västerbotten, have developed an innovative health app to promote healthier lifestyle habits among residents. This app is currently being tested in a study linked to the long-standing Västerbotten Health Examination program, which invites residents aged 40, 50, or 60 for regular health check-ups. The app offers personalized digital coaching on diet, physical activity, stress management, alcohol and tobacco use, extending the public health consultations traditionally provided by nurses.

Starting from 2025 through 2026, 1,000 participants will take part in the study. Half of them will receive immediate access to the app following their health examinations, while the other half will serve as a control group, gaining access after three months. This design allows researchers to evaluate the app's effectiveness in promoting lifestyle changes. Carina Gustafsson, a nurse and development leader at Region Västerbotten, highlighted the app’s significant potential to provide equitable health support across the region’s sparsely populated areas, where distance can limit access to healthcare resources.

The initiative is part of Star-C, an interdisciplinary research program encompassing expertise from data science to public health, funded by Forte, the health and welfare research council. Professor Patrik Wennberg, the program coordinator, expressed enthusiasm about integrating digital tools into everyday life as a means to enhance public health outcomes.

The Västerbotten Health Examination program itself has been instrumental since the 1990s in monitoring and improving residents’ health, and this digital advancement is expected to further support preventive healthcare efforts. Importantly, the app targets modifiable lifestyle factors linked to risks of chronic diseases including dementia, underscoring the value of early and continuous lifestyle interventions.

By delivering personalized health advice via digital coaching, the Västerbotten app study aims to reduce lifestyle-related illnesses and promote equitable health access, demonstrating an innovative approach to public health challenges in Swedish regions.