Table 2.
Characteristics of the included studies.
| Study | Location | Study Description | Sample and Design | Measurement | Study Duration | Key findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bender et al. (2017) | San Francisco Bay Area, United States | Effect of PilAm Go4Health intervention with fitbit app on weight loss (secondary: steps) | 45 total; 22 inintervention, 23 in control | Fitbit accelerometer | 6 months | Statistically significant percent weight loss and fasting glucose change in type 2 diabetics |
| Choi et al. (2016) | San Francisco Bay Area, United States | Effect of MoTHER app (Mobile Technologies to Help Enhance Regular Physical Activity) on PA | 30 total; 15 inintervention, 15 in control | Fitibt Ultra accelerometer | 12 weeks | No significant difference between groups in steps or self reported PA , intervention saw higher self efficacy, significant evidence that intervention reduced lack of energy as barrier in inactive pregnant women |
| Direito et al. (2015) | Auckland, New Zealand | Effect of Zombies, Run and Get Running mobile app on cardiorespiratory fitness | 51 total; 17 in immersive app, 16 in nonimmersive app, 18 in control group | Actigraph accelerometer | 8 weeks | No significant findings between intervention and control group but time taken to complete fitness test decreased in both app groups compared to control |
| Fukuoka (2019) | San Francisco Bay Area, United States | Effect of mobile phone based PA education (mPED) on MVPA for 3 months as well as 9 month maintenance phase | 205 total; 72 in regular, 60 in plus, 69 in control | Omron Active Style Pro HJA- 350IT accelerometer | 9 months | 3 month app and counseling intervention acheived significant increase in PA compared to control group for physically inactive females |
| Garcia- Ortiz et al. (2018) | Spain | Effect of app in addition to counseling on increasing physical activity (PA) and adherence to the Mediterranean diet | 833 total; 415 in counseling+app, 418 in counseling | ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer | 3 month intervention and 12 month follow-up | Overall found no differences between intervention group and counseling- only group in PA increase and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the long term |
| Harries et al. (2013) | Bristol, UK | Effect of bActive app on step count | 152 total | Accelerometer on smartphone app | 6 weeks | Always-on, accelerometer-based smartphone apps can increase walking amongst males by around 64% |
| Hartman et al. (2016) | San Diego, California, United States | Effect of MyFitnessPal on MVPA and weight | 54 total; 36 in intervention, 18 in usual care | ActiGraph GT3X Accelerometer, | 6 months | Combining technology-based self- monitoring tools with phone counseling supported weight loss over 6 months in women at increased risk for breast cancer |
| Hebden et al. (2013) | Sydney, Australia | Effect of mHelath intervention with access to mobile app on body weight | 51 total; 26 in intervention, 25 in control | ActiGraph GTIM accelerometer | 12 weeks | Intervention and control group dropped weight, increased light intensity activity, and increased veggie intake |
| Hochsman n et al. (2019) | Basel, Switzerland | Effect of Mission: Schweinehund on intrinsic PA motivation (secondary: MVPA) | 36 total; 18 in intervention, 18 in control | Accelerometer in Garmin Vivofit 2 activity wristband | 24 weeks | Smartphone game significantly inmproved intrinsic PA motivation, leading to increased PA for inactive patients with type 2 diabetes |
| Kitagawa (2019) | Osaka, Japan | Effect of Smartphone application (UP) on sitting time (secondary: health related quality of life) | 48 total; 16. in control, 16 in self feedback, 16 in tailored feedback | Jawbone UP24 accelerometer | 2 weeks | All groups showed a significnat reduction in prolonged sitting time. For the tailored feedback group, the longest prolonged sitting time showed the most decrease following intervention. |
| Lynch et al. (2019) | Melbourne, Austrailia | Effect of Garmin app on MVPA levels | 83 total; 43 intevention, 40 control | Accelerometer in Garmin Vivofit 2 wearable, activPAL | 12 weeks | Wearbale technology in this study showed the ability to significnatly increase MVPA lveles in breast cancers survivors |
| Martin et al. (2015) | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States | Effect of SmartLoss app on weight, waist circumference (secondary: blood pressure) | 40 total; 20 SmartLoss, 20 health education | Accelerometer A&D Engineering, Inc., Wellness Connected WirelessTM Activity Monitor XL-20 | 12 weeks | Showed signficant results in which SmartLoss particpants had significantly greater weight loss and reduction in waist circumerfance compared to Health Education for overweight adults |
| Melton et al. (2016) | Georgia, United States | Effect of Jawbone UP platform on physical activity | 50 total; 17 intervention, 33 comparison | GT3X+ActiGraph activity monitor | 6-week trial with 8-week follow-up | The physical activity intervention did not result in a signficant increase in physical activity for the intervention group compated to the control group |
| Patel et al. (2016) | Pennsylvania, United States | Effect of "Moves" app on step count using social comparison | 286 total | Built in phone accelerometer | 13 week intervention, 13 week follow-up | Found that social comparison (to median, 50% percentile) with financial incentives resulted in significantly more steps than other groups |
| Patel et al. (2018) | Pennsylvania, United States | Effect of "Moves" app on step count using lottery style | 209 total | Built in phone accelerometer | 13 week intervention, 13 week follow-up | Found that the combined lottery, which included both a higher frequency, smaller reward as well as a lower frequency, higher reward, was the most effect in increasing physical activity in overweigh adults |
| Pope et al. (2019) | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | Effect of Smartwatch+Facebook on intervention interest, use/acceptability, adherence, and retention (secondary: PA levels and diet) | 38 total; 19 intervention, 19 contorl | Accelerometer- Polar M400 smartwatch | 12 weeks | There was no significant advantage of intervention versus comparison |
| Poppe et al. (2019) | Ghent, Belgium | Effect of MyPlan 2.0 on PA and sendentary behavior | 54 (RCT1) | ActiGraph accelerometer (GT3X=+) | 5 weekly sessions with one week in between sessions for a total of 9 weeks | Study shows no significant positive effect for the ability of the intervetnion to increase PA or decrease sedentary behavior in type 2 diabetics |
| Smith et al. (2014) | New South Wales, Australia | Effect of Active Teen Leaders Avoiding Screen-time (ATLAS) on reducting obesity (secondary: physical activity) | 293 total; 139 intervention, 154 control | ActiGraph accelerometer (GT3X=+) | 20 weeks | Intervention was not successful in producing signficiant effects compared to control group for body composition but was for muscular fitness, movement skills, and weight related behaviors |
| Vorrink et al. (2016) | Netherlands | Effect of smartphone application on maintaining PA in COPD patients post 12 week COPD intervention | 121 total; 62 intervention, 59 control | Accelerometer in smartphone (HTC desire A8181) | 12 months | mHealth intervention did not improve or maintain physical activity in patients with COPD |
| Wang et al. (2016) | San Diego, California, United States | Effect of Fitbit One with mobile app on daily step count | 67 total | ActiGraph accelerometer (GT3X=+) | 6 weeks | Study showed that increased level of engagement with Fitbit One app was associated with increased steps |