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Review on mobile phone applications in weight management interventions (811.29)
Author(s) -
Meng Yu,
Wong Siew Sun
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.811.29
Subject(s) - mobile phone , psychological intervention , usability , intervention (counseling) , phone , weight management , internet privacy , mobile technology , multimedia , mobile device , psychology , computer science , applied psychology , medicine , world wide web , telecommunications , human–computer interaction , obesity , nursing , weight loss , linguistics , philosophy
During the past 5 years, mobile technology gained more researchers’ attentions for its strong capabilities and potential usability in weight management interventions. This review summarizes the applications of mobile phone from over 30 literatures and interventions. In nutrition and physical activity interventions, mobile phones were most frequently used for participants to: 1) receive daily/weekly communications; 2) tract physical activities and daily food and calorie consumption; and 3) use mobile phone games to promote healthy behaviors. The most common features of mobile phones were texting, Global Positioning System (GPS) and health and wellness apps. Studies using mobile phone as a major intervention tool had relatively shorter duration (1‐4 wk), smaller sample size (n=8‐30), but had more significant findings than those that only used mobile phone to communication such as weekly text or email. The main reason of this difference, which is also the most challenging part of using phone apps as major intervention, is that the interest attenuates rapidly during the studies. Best practices found were: 1) keep usage motivation high by integrating features that are interactive, exciting, joyful, and lively; 2) provide both positive and negative feedback; ; and 3) use corrective and celebratory techniques in health games on phone. Grant Funding Source : PacificSource Healthcare