Background Mobile health (mHealth) is currently among the supporting elements that may contribute to an improvement in health markers by helping people adopt healthier lifestyles. mHealth interventions have been widely reported to achieve greater weight loss than other approaches, but their effect on body composition remains unclear. Objective This study aimed to assess the short-term (3 months) effectiveness of a mobile app and a smart band for losing weight and changing body composition in sedentary Spanish adults who are overweight or obese. Methods A randomized controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted involving the participation of 440 subjects from primary care centers, with 231 subjects in the intervention group (IG; counselling with smartphone app and smart band) and 209 in the control group (CG; counselling only). Both groups were counselled about healthy diet and physical activity. For the 3-month intervention period, the IG was trained to use a smartphone app that involved self-monitoring and tailored feedback, as well as a smart band that recorded daily physical activity (Mi Band 2, Xiaomi). Body composition was measured using the InBody 230 bioimpedance device (InBody Co., Ltd), and physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results The mHealth intervention produced a greater loss of body weight (–1.97 kg, 95% CI –2.39 to –1.54) relative to standard counselling at 3 months (–1.13 kg, 95% CI –1.56 to –0.69). Comparing groups, the IG achieved a weight loss of 0.84 kg more than the CG at 3 months. The IG showed a decrease in body fat mass (BFM; –1.84 kg, 95% CI –2.48 to –1.20), percentage of body fat (PBF; –1.22%, 95% CI –1.82% to 0.62%), and BMI (–0.77 kg/m2, 95% CI –0.96 to 0.57). No significant changes were observed in any of these parameters in men; among women, there was a significant decrease in BMI in the IG compared with the CG. When subjects were grouped according to baseline BMI, the overweight group experienced a change in BFM of –1.18 kg (95% CI –2.30 to –0.06) and BMI of –0.47 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.80 to –0.13), whereas the obese group only experienced a change in BMI of –0.53 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.86 to –0.19). When the data were analyzed according to physical activity, the moderate-vigorous physical activity group showed significant changes in BFM of –1.03 kg (95% CI –1.74 to –0.33), PBF of –0.76% (95% CI –1.32% to –0.20%), and BMI of –0.5 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.83 to –0.19). Conclusions The results from this multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial study show that compared with standard counselling alone, adding a self-reported app and a smart band obtained beneficial results in terms of weight loss and a reduction in BFM and PBF in female subjects with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 and a moderate-vigorous physical activity level. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to ensure that this profile benefits more than others from this intervention and to investigate modifications of this intervention to achieve a global effect. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03175614; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03175614. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1097/MD.0000000000009633
IntroductionCancer (and survival) is known to affect the quality of life. Strategies as physical activity and exercise during and after cancer may improve health-related qualify of life (HRQOL) outcomes and are, therefore, of clinical and public health importance. To the best of our knowledge, comparative evidence of the effect of the different types of exercise on improving HRQOL in cancer patients has not been synthesised thus far. We aim to conduct a systematic review and network meta-analysis in order to synthesise all available evidence regarding the effect of different types of exercise interventions on HRQOL during and after cancer treatment.Methods and analysisMEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library and SPORTDiscus will be searched from inception to December 2018 for relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs. Studies assessing physical activity and exercise interventions in cancer patients (during treatment) and survivors (after treatment) will be selected. Two independent reviewers will identify eligible studies. After quality appraisal and data extraction, we will conduct meta-analyses for outcomes of interest, including data from mental and physical dimensions of cancer-specific and/or generic HRQOL questionnaires. Risk of bias assessments will be completed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Study heterogeneity will be measured by the I2 statistic. Bayesian (and traditional approach) network meta-analysis will be performed when possible to determine the comparative effect of the different physical activity or exercise interventions.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review and network meta-analysis will synthesise evidence on the effect of different types of exercise interventions on HRQOL during and after cancer treatment. The results will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed journal and through scientific conferences and symposia. Ethical approval will not be required because the data used for this work will be exclusively extracted from published studies.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42019125028.
Maternity and pregnancy involve significant biopsychosocial changes in the lives of women. These changes determine their experience of motherhood and can be a crucial aspect in the choice of parenting style. Women require a source of knowledge and support that goes beyond the technical, clinical environment, led by qualified nurses for holistic and humanized care. The objective of this study is to identify women’s beliefs, expectations, and experiences of their motherhood and its different stages, and their perception of the care they receive, in order to enhance effective management of their new role at a health and social level. A phenomenological qualitative study using thematic analysis will be used, within the theoretical framework provided by the Social Cognitive Theory and the influence of gender. The sample size will be defined by the sampling saturation criterion and should include rural and urban women, with different socioeconomic status. The information will be collected with semi-structured interviews that will be analyzed based on the codification of the texts in three levels and the subsequent triangulation of the results. The biopsychosocial aspects involved in motherhood make it a complex process, with women as the main player. Therefore, mothers’ opinions on the barriers and enablers they encounter in their environment are essential to place them at the center of the process. In addition, knowing the perceptions of women could help improve the work of nurses, having impacts on the humanization of health care and responding to women’s needs during their motherhood.
Resumo. Introducción: Las mujeres afrontan la maternidad como un reto al que deben adaptarse para conseguir el mejor estado de salud posible para ellas y sus hijos en un ambiente sanitario altamente medicalizado y dentro de una sociedad que establece un ideal de maternidad que condiciona sus experiencias sin tener en cuenta sus expectativas. Objetivos: conocer las expectativas que tienen las mujeres a cerca de la maternidad y la lactancia y la importancia de una aproximación cualitativa que permita conocer su realidad y mejorar la atención sociosanitaria que reciben. Métodos: Se realizará una aproximación fenomenológica con entrevistas semiestructuradas para la recopilación de datos analizados por triangulación a través de un análisis temático con el software Atlas.Ti 8.3. Discusión: Parece necesario considerar la investigación cualitativa como la forma adecuada de aproximación para conocer aquellos aspectos que las mujeres consideren más importantes respecto a su maternidad. Conclusiones: La investigación cualitativa nos aporta el conocimiento científico adecuado que pueda dar soporte a las necesidades sociosanitarias de las mujeres durante su maternidad, situando a las mismas en el centro del proceso, para devolverle el protagonismo de una experiencia tan personal.
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