ERIC Number: EJ816704
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1499-4046
EISSN: N/A
Use of Text Messaging for Monitoring Sugar-Sweetened Beverages, Physical Activity, and Screen Time in Children: A Pilot Study
Shapiro, Jennifer R.; Bauer, Stephanie; Hamer, Robert M.; Kordy, Hans; Ward, Dianne; Bulik, Cynthia M.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, v40 n6 p385-391 Nov-Dec 2008
Objective: To examine acceptability, attrition, adherence, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS; text messaging) for monitoring healthful behaviors in children. Design: All randomized children received a brief psychoeducational intervention. They then either monitored target behaviors via SMS with feedback or via paper diaries (PD) or participated in a no-monitoring control (C) for 8 weeks. Setting: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Participants: Fifty-eight children (age 5-13) and parents participated; 31 completed (SMS: 13/18, PD: 7/18, C: 11/22). Intervention: Children and parents participated in a total of 3 group education sessions (1 session weekly for 3 weeks) to encourage increasing physical activity and decreasing screen time and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Main Outcome Measures: Treatment acceptability, attrition, and adherence to self-monitoring. Analysis: Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used to analyze differences across time and group. Results: Children in SMS had somewhat lower attrition (28%) than both PD (61%) and C (50%), and significantly greater adherence to self-monitoring than PD (43% vs 19%, P less than 0.02). Conclusions and Implications: Short message service may be a useful tool for self-monitoring healthful behaviors in children, although the efficacy of this approach needs further study. Implications suggest that novel technologies may play a role in improving health. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Feedback (Response), Intervention, Health Behavior, Diaries, Psychoeducational Methods, Computer Mediated Communication, Compliance (Psychology), Telecommunications, Handheld Devices, Child Behavior, Program Effectiveness, Health Promotion, Physical Activity Level, Eating Habits, Nutrition, Dietetics, Television Viewing, Life Style, Self Control, Attendance Patterns, Children, Early Adolescents
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A