Systematic review of text messaging as an intervention for adolescent obesity

Abstract

Purpose Adolescent overweight and obesity is a significant problem for health care with associated quality of life and financial concerns. This systematic review investigated text messaging as an intervention to treat or prevent obesity in adolescent populations. Data sources The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement was used as a guideline for the literature search and interpretation of findings. CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX were searched using a combination of search terms. The initial 95 articles that met the search criteria were narrowed to seven that fit the focus. Conclusions Text messaging is acceptable to adolescents as an obesity treatment but data about content and timing of messages vary. The effects of text messaging on body mass index (BMI) were difficult to determine because messaging was often part of a multicomponent intervention. Text messaging as an intervention for adolescent obesity was used in various settings. There were no included studies from primary care settings. Implications for practice Further research is needed to determine the effect of messages on BMI and the most helpful content, timing, and frequency. This information may provide advanced practice nurses with effective, affordable tools to manage adolescent obesity in different settings.

Human Behavior with Mobile Health: Smartphone/ Devices, Apps and Cognition

“…Positive aspects of technology for youth include speaking more freely, learning/knowledge gains, communication/engagement with others and creative exploration. Youth also use technology for depression, obesity and/or suicidal thinking, [42][43] but the evidence base is limited. 44 Concerns about media use -especially excess use of television and computer gameshave arisen due to potential changes in mood, sedentary lifestyles, withdrawal from other activities and impaired sleep patterns.…”

Advantages and limitations of virtual online consultations in a NHS acute trust: the VOCAL mixed-methods study

“…There is a significant body of literature on text messaging as a means of, for instance, supporting people with chronic illness; [46][47][48] facilitating adherence and/or attendance; [49][50][51][52] conveying results of tests; 53 or sending health promotion messages. [54][55][56][57] Systematic reviews have indicated that text messaging can be effective in facilitating short-term behaviour and medication adherence in particular.…”

TEEN HEED: Design of a clinical-community youth diabetes prevention intervention

“…27,28 However, despite the potential for technology to support weight management in youth, 29 research to date has focused mostly on text-messaging. Although these interventions have been shown to be effective in supporting disease management behaviors, 30,31 there is limited information about the most effective message content and timing. 31–35 Other tools including “apps” and social media have limited evidence among adults, 36–42 but generally have not yet been studied among youth.…”