Onnikka app wins Impact Act of the Year award – digital lifestyle guidance revolutionises weight management and health promotion
Onnikka is an independently operating digital lifestyle guidance method that has been under development and research for over 15 years at the University of Oulu. The app has revolutionised digital lifestyle coaching by integrating methods from cognitive behavioural therapy and persuasive design. Its effectiveness in promoting weight loss has been validated in numerous scientific studies.
The app's impact has impressed both the scientific community and its users. Beyond weight loss, its effects extend to eliminating metabolic syndrome, normalising blood sugar levels, and delivering long-term health benefits.
Since 2021, the Finnish Society for Effectiveness in Social and Healthcare has annually awarded the Impact Act of the Year prize to highlight initiatives, innovations, and achievements that enhance the effectiveness of social and healthcare services in Finland. The award jury particularly praised Onnikka's accessibility and broad impact. The app operates entirely independently without requiring healthcare resources, making it a cost-effective solution.
Onnikka enhances public health and reduces healthcare costs
Preventing and treating obesity are significant global challenges, affecting both individual health and healthcare costs. In OECD countries, one in four people is classified as obese (BMI > 30 kg/m²). In Finland, 30% of women and 27% of men fall into this category.
Obesity significantly increases healthcare expenses. In Finland, obesity-related costs account for 8.4% of all healthcare expenditure, and annual direct healthcare costs for obese individuals are 48% (€866) higher than for the rest of the population. According to the OECD, every euro spent on preventing obesity yields a sixfold saving. Onnikka provides scalable, user-friendly means to achieve these savings.
Under the leadership of Professor (Emeritus) Markku Savolainen and Professor Janne Hukkanen from the University of Oulu’s internal medicine research group, alongside Professor Harri Oinas-Kukkonen’s information systems science team and a group of dietitians, a scientifically grounded app that fits seamlessly into users’ daily lives was developed. Onnikka Health Oy, responsible for product development, is committed to making the app widely available. Onnikka is currently accessible to healthcare and lifestyle guidance providers, who offer the app to their clients to support lifestyle changes and weight management.
Onnikka has also garnered praise in international scientific publications and evaluations. It has been highlighted in, for example, Finnish Current Care Guidelines and statements by the European Association of Preventive Cardiology.
This year, Onnikka has expanded its reach with Swedish- and English-language versions, increasing its potential to engage even broader user groups.
The recognition of the Onnikka app as the Impact Act of the Year underscores its role as one of Finland's most significant digital innovations in health promotion.
Read more about the topic in the Impact Society’s news article (in Finnish)