Study Shows Habit-Formation App Improves Long-Term Weight Loss In National Diabetes Prevention Program

Fresh Tri's neuroscience-based platform delivers superior long-term weight loss and retention against gold-standard behavior change program

FELTON, Calif., March 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh Tri^®, the leading neuroscience-based behavior change company, today announced the results of a nationwide multi-site, randomized clinical trial showing that Fresh Tri's digital habit-formation app significantly improves long‑term weight loss and participant retention in the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP). Those two outcomes are critical to preventing progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes and maintaining results.

The study was conducted under a contract with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) across 33 sites in 17 states between February 2021 and October 2022. The study evaluated whether a digital habit-formation intervention — the Fresh Tri® app — could improve retention, engagement, and weight loss when used as an adjunct to the standard National DPP in underserved populations.

The study was directed towards communities experiencing higher social, economic, and healthcare vulnerabilities who historically experience lower retention and outcomes in the National DPP. Participants in the intervention group received the standard National DPP curriculum plus the Fresh Tri app, which they used in-between sessions.  Participants in the control group received the standard National DPP curriculum alone.

The findings, published in BMC Digital Health: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s44247-026-00247-y?utm_source=rct_congratemailt&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=oa_20260225&utm_content=10.1186/s44247-026-00247-y) with authors from both Fresh Tri and the CDC, offer strong evidence of the superior efficacy of Fresh Tri's iterative approach. They show that participants who used the app were statistically more likely to remain in the program at both 6 months (80% vs. 67% in control arm; p=.01) and 12 months (78% vs. 53% for controls; p=.03).  At six months, about one quarter of participants in both groups achieved at least 5% body weight loss — an important benchmark associated with reduced diabetes risk. By 12 months, however, 41% of participants using the Fresh Tri app had reached this benchmark, compared with 31% in the control group (p = .05). This suggests that the benefits of using the Fresh Tri app may compound over time, supporting sustained behavior change rather than short‑term results alone.

The Fresh Tri platform is grounded in the Iterative Mindset Method™, invented by Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a public health physician, applied neuroscientist, and CEO of Fresh Tri. Bobinet developed this behavior-change approach, rooted in brain science and habit formation, based on her research into long-term healthy behavior change. Instead of emphasizing strict goals, tracking, or "perfect" adherence, the Fresh Tri® app is built around the Iterative Mindset Method™, which encourages participants to reframe and neutralize failure, continuously practice behaviors into automatic habits, and iterate, or tweak, their efforts over and over to overcome obstacles and keep going, long term.   Fresh Tri's mission is to replace mostly performative approaches today that use rigid goals and endless tracking with a practice-and-iteration process that neutralizes and protects people from failure.

"Our findings show that using an iterative mindset approach, via our digital health software, can lead to lasting health changes for individuals with prediabetes in disadvantaged communities," Dr. Bobinet said. "By improving retention and long-term weight loss without adding burden to participants or coaches, Fresh Tri has now been proven to help deliver more equitable and effective care."

About Fresh Tri

Fresh Tri is a behavior change company that empowers individuals to build lasting healthy habits through a science-backed habit building app, mindset coaching, and neuroscience-based design. The Fresh Tri platform is used by employers, health systems, and individuals to promote sustainable health change, reduce burnout, and improve outcomes—without relying on shame, endless tracking, rigid goals or perfectionism.

SOURCE Fresh Tri