Table 3.
Effect of Mobile Health Interventions on Different Study Parameters
| Authors (Year) | Study Parameters | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Weight (kg) | BMI (kg/m2) | Waist Circumference (cm) | Physical Activity Behavior | Dietary Behavior | Effects on Adherence/Satisfaction | |
| Fukuoka et al. (2010) | NE | NE | NE | Daily total steps increased by 800 or 15% over three weeks, SS | NE | Self-reported willpower improvements associated with step count increases |
| Archer et al. (2012) | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | Participants found all three apps easy to use, somewhat helpful with an above average level of satisfaction |
| Rabin et al. (2011) | IG: 2.7%, CG: 2.7%, NS | IG: 0.91, CG: 0.26, SS | NE | Exercise self-monitoring rates (days/week), SS: IG: 2.6, CG: 1.2) Intentional physical activity (kcal/day), SS: IG: 196.4, CG: 100.9 | Decrease in daily calorie intake (kcal/day), NS: IG: 288.8, CG: 242.5 Self-reported diet (days/week): No differences | IG: App use to monitor diet 3.5 times more likely, more downloads per episode. CG: Majority used the website or paper. |
| Turner et al. (2011) | GWL and SWA: 6.59, SWA: 3.55, GWL: 1.86, CG: none; SS | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE |
| Burke et al. (2012) | PDA feedback: 2.32%, SS; PDA: 1.38%; CG: | NE | PDA feedback: 6.4%, PDA: 5%, CG: 4%, SS | NE | NE | IG: Greater weight loss in participants who were adherent >60% of the time |
| 1.94%; group differences NS | ||||||
| Allen et al. (2013) | IG: 2.3, CG: 0.63, NS | NE | NE | NE | IG: Positive effects on fruit and vegetable intake and eating behavior inventory scores | Response to messages: All (first week), two of three texts (by week 16) |
| Kim et al. (2013) | IG: 1.65 (1.8%), CG: 1.03 (0.8%), NS | NE | NE | IG: Steps increased to 3,000 steps/day, SS | NE | Text-messaging adherence moderately strong (60%–69%). Greater weight loss in adherent participants. |
| King et al. (2013) | IC + SP: 5.4, LIC + SP: 3.3, SS | IC: 0.8, IC + SP: 1.8, LIC + SP: 1.1, SP: 0.7, SS | IC: 3.0 (M), 3.19 (F); IC + SP: 7.01 (M), 5.68 (F); LIC + SP: 6.5 (M), 3.64 (F); SP: 3.38 (M), 0.88 (F), SS | Self-reported physical activity of moderate or greater intensity (hours/week) decreased in all groups (IC: −1.4, IC + SP: −2.0, LIC + SP: −3.6) except for slight increase in SP group (0.19) | Decrease in daily calorie intake (kcal/day), SS: IC: 415.6, IC +SP : 468.2, LIC + SP: 218.5, SP: 249.2 Increase in fruit and vegetable servings/day, NS: IC: 0.81, IC + SP: 0.51, LIC + SP: 2.1, SP: −0.05 | Adherence highest in IC + SP group: Counseling attendance: 72% App diet logging: 53% App physical activity logging: 32% Similar percentages for LIC + SP group |
| Napolitano et al. (2013) | NE | NE | NE | Increase in daily steps: IG: 679; CG: 398 Changes in MET: IG: 11.96; CG: 4.55 | NE | NE |
| Norman et al. (2013) | NE | NE | NE | Increases in brisk walking for all groups (IG 1: 71.1, IG 2: 122.9, | NE | Participants continued to use the applications for 211.0 days (IG 1), 199.3 days (IG 2), and 162.0 days (IG 3) after the study period |
| IG 3: 105.7) and MVPA for all groups (IG 1: 179.2, IG 2: 257.1, IG 3: 134.3), SS | ||||||
| Shapiro et al. (2012) | Facebook Plus: 2.4, Facebook: 0.63 CG: 0.24, SS | NE | NE | Differences within or among the groups: NS | Differences within or among the groups: NS | 97% found the program helpful and 100% would recommend the program |
| Spring et al. (2013) | IG: 2.9, CG: 0.02 (gain), SS | NE | NE | NE | NE | Adherent participants in the IG lost more weight than adherent or nonadherent participants in the control group |
| Steinberg et al. (2013) | IG: 7.7 (6.55%), CG: 1.5 (0.35%), SS | IG: 0.47, CG: 0.42, NS | NE | NE | IG participants self-weighed more days/week and consumed fewer calories/day than CG participants Daily caloric intake (kcal/day), SS: IG:1,509, CG:1,856 | IG: daily self-weighing was perceived positively |
| Thomas et al. (2013) | IG: 10.9 kg, no CG, SS | NE | NE | NE | NE | Adherence to self-monitoring: 85% All extended program participants gave the maximum rating for satisfaction and would recommend the program |
| Bond et al. (2014) | NE | NE | NE | SED decrease, SS, 3-min: 5.9%, 6-min: 5.6%, 12-min: 3.3% LPA increase, | NE | App use increased motivation to take PA breaks and reduced SED |
| SS, 3-min: 3.9%, 6-min: 3.9%, 12-min: 1.9% MVPA increase, SS, 3-min: 2.0%, 6-min: 1.7%, 12-min:1.3% | ||||||
| Laing et al. (2014) | IG: 0.30, CG: 0.27, NS | NE | NE | Self-reported exercise behaviors: difference NS | IG used “personal calorie goal” more often than CG did (group difference: 2.0 days/week) | Frequency of logins (mean total logins: 61) decreased rapidly after enrolment. No association between baseline characteristics and extent of app use or weight change. |
| Cowdery et al. (2015) | NE | IG:0.09 21, CG: 0.1879 (gain), NS | NE | Decrease in total MET (min/wk), NS: IG: 356.8 CG: 722 | NE | NE |
| Gilliland et al. (2015) | NE | NE | NE | NE | 80% benefited Greater participation associated with increased healthy eating. No influence on consumption behavior. | NE |
| Svetkey et al. (2015) | CP: 0.99, PC: 2.45, CG:1.44, NS | NE | NE | NE | NE | Self-weighing frequency(times/wk): CP: 4.0 (0–6 months), 2.1 (13–24 months) PC: 2.2 (0–6 months), 1.0 (13–24 months) All monthly calls completed: >90% (0–6 months), >87% (13–24 months) |
| Sze et al. (2015) | % overweigh | IG: 1.0, CG: | NE | NE | Decrease in calorie intake | IG: 87%, CG: 92.9% |
| t: IG: 4.6, CG: 1.1, SS | 0.2, SS | (kcal/day), SS: IG: 791.2, CG: 482.4 | ||||
| Willey et al. (2016) | IG: 6.13 (7.3%), no CG, SS | NE | IG: 7.2 (6.6%), no CG, SS | NE | NE | More app use associated with greater improvement in each health outcome but results were NS |
Abbreviations: BW, body weight; BMI, body mass index; CG, control group; CP, cell phone; F, female; GWL, group weight-loss education group; IC, intensive counseling; IG, intervention group; LIC, less-intense counseling; LPA, low-intensity physical activity; M, male; MVPA: moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity; NE: not evaluated; NS, nonsignificant; PA, physical activity; PC, personal coaching; SED: excessive sedentary time; SP, smartphone; SS, statistically significant; SWA: Sense Wear Armband.
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