Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42231037›Full record

SynthesisThe International journal of eating disorders2026

Ecological Momentary Interventions in the Management of Eating Disorders and Obesity: A Systematic Review.

Wenlu Mao, Ricarda Schmidt, Emily K Presseller, Adrienne Juarascio, Anja Hilbert

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The International journal of eating disorders, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Wenlu MaoBehavioral Medicine Research Unit, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7056-6550
Ricarda SchmidtDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7794-2897
Emily K PressellerDepartment of Biomedical Data Science, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6854-1207
Adrienne JuarascioOregon Research Institute, Eugene, Oregon, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6377-4212
Anja HilbertBehavioral Medicine Research Unit, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2775-1296

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis systematic review evaluated the feasibility, efficacy, adherence, and methodological quality of ecological momentary intervention (EMI)-based treatments for individuals with diagnosed eating disorders (EDs) and/or obesity.

methodEight electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to January 2026. Randomized, non-randomized, and uncontrolled studies evaluating EMI-based treatments for individuals with diagnosed EDs and/or obesity were included. Data on intervention characteristics, clinical and behavioral outcomes, feasibility, acceptability, and adherence were extracted. Risk of bias was assessed using RoB 2 and ROBINS-I, and findings were synthesized narratively.

resultsFourteen studies met inclusion criteria (eight obesity-focused, six ED-focused), including nine randomized controlled trials. In ED studies, EMI-augmented interventions were associated with significant within-group reductions in binge-eating frequency and ED psychopathology. However, superiority over active cognitive-behavioral therapy-based controls was inconsistent and primarily observed during maintenance phases. Obesity-focused trials demonstrated small to moderate within-group improvements in weight-related outcomes, with generally small and non-sustained between-group effects. Feasibility and acceptability were generally high, although retention and engagement varied across studies. Risk of bias was low in most randomized trials but higher in non-randomized studies. DISCUSSION: EMIs appear to be a feasible and acceptable approach for extending evidence-based treatments for EDs and obesity into daily life. Current evidence suggests that EMIs may exert a beneficial adjunctive effect by enhancing engagement and improving short-term behavioral outcomes. However, their impact on long-term clinical outcomes remains limited and inconsistent, underscoring the necessity for conducting rigorously designed clinical trials with extended follow-up periods.

Indexed as

Ecological Momentary AssessmentFeeding and Eating DisordersObesityCognitive Behavioral TherapyHumanseating disordersecological momentary interventionsobesitysystematic review

Identifiers

PMID42231037
PMCPMC13655985

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.