scholarly journals Effects of Mobile Health Including Wearable Activity Trackers to Increase Physical Activity Outcomes Among Healthy Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review (Preprint)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Birgit Böhm ◽  
Svenja D Karwiese ◽  
Harald Böhm ◽  
Renate Oberhoffer
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Intervention Delivery ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

BACKGROUND Children and adolescents do not meet the current recommendations on physical activity (PA), and as such, the health-related benefits of regular PA are not achieved. Nowadays, technology-based programs represent an appealing and promising option for children and adolescents to promote PA. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to systematically evaluate the effects of mobile health (mHealth) and wearable activity trackers on PA-related outcomes in this target group. METHODS Electronic databases such as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science were searched to retrieve English language articles published in peer-reviewed journals from January 2012 to June 2018. Those included were articles that contained descriptions of interventions designed to increase PA among children (aged 6 to 12 years) only, or adolescents (aged 13 to 18 years) only, or articles that include both populations, and also, articles that measured at least 1 PA-related cognitive, psychosocial, or behavioral outcome. The interventions had to be based on mHealth tools (mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, or mobile apps) or wearable activity trackers. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs, cohort studies, before-and-after studies, and cross-sectional studies were considered, but only controlled studies with a PA comparison between groups were assessed for methodological quality. RESULTS In total, 857 articles were identified. Finally, 7 studies (5 with tools of mHealth and 2 with wearable activity trackers) met the inclusion criteria. All studies with tools of mHealth used an RCT design, and 3 were of high methodological quality. Intervention delivery ranged from 4 weeks to 12 months, whereby mainly smartphone apps were used as a tool. Intervention delivery in studies with wearable activity trackers covered a period from 22 sessions during school recess and 8 weeks. Trackers were used as an intervention and evaluation tool. No evidence was found for the effect of mHealth tools, respectively wearable activity trackers, on PA-related outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Given the small number of studies, poor compliance with accelerometers as a measuring instrument for PA, risk of bias, missing RCTs in relation to wearable activity trackers, and the heterogeneity of intervention programs, caution is warranted regarding the comparability of the studies and their effects. There is a clear need for future studies to develop PA interventions grounded on intervention mapping with a high methodological study design for specific target groups to achieve meaningful evidence.

scholarly journals The Acceptability, Feasibility and Effectiveness of Wearable Activity Trackers for Increasing Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6211
Author(s):  
Amy V. Creaser ◽  
Stacy A. Clemes ◽  
Silvia Costa ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Nicola D. Ridgers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Start Date ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

Wearable activity trackers (wearables) embed numerous behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that have previously been shown to increase adult physical activity (PA). With few children and adolescents achieving PA guidelines, it is crucial to explore ways to increase their PA. This systematic review examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables and their potential mechanisms of action for increasing PA in 5 to 19-year-olds. A systematic search of six databases was conducted, including data from the start date of each database to December 2019 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020164506). Thirty-three studies were included. Most studies (70%) included only adolescents (10 to 19 years). There was some—but largely mixed—evidence that wearables increase steps and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA and reduce sedentary behaviour. There were no apparent differences in effectiveness based on the number of BCTs used and between studies using a wearable alone or as part of a multi-component intervention. Qualitative findings suggested wearables increased motivation to be physically active via self-monitoring, goal setting, feedback, and competition. However, children and adolescents reported technical difficulties and a novelty effect when using wearables, which may impact wearables’ long-term use. More rigorous and long-term studies investigating the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables in 5 to 19-year-olds are warranted.

Wearable sensors and Mobile Health (mHealth) technologies to assess and promote physical activity in stroke: a narrative review

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamala Thilarajah ◽  
Ross A Clark ◽  
Gavin Williams
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Wearable Sensors ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers ◽  
Smartphone Technology

Stroke is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with approximately one third of people left with permanent deficits impacting on their function. This may contribute to a physically inactive lifestyle and further associated health issues. Current research suggests that people after stroke are not meeting the recommended levels of physical activity, and are less active than people with other chronic illnesses. Thus, it is important to understand how to support people after stroke to uptake and maintain physical activity. Wearable sensors and mobile health (mHealth) technologies are a potential platform to measure and promote physical activity. Some of these technologies may incorporate behaviour change techniques such as real-time feedback. Although wearable activity trackers and smartphone technology are widely available, the feasibility and applicability of these technologies for people after stroke is unclear. This article reviews the devices available for assessment of physical activity in stroke and discusses the potential for advances in technology to promote physical activity in this population.

Effect of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function in children and adolescents: a systematic review of randomised trials

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 873-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Rianda ◽  
R. Agustina ◽  
E.A. Setiawan ◽  
N.R.M. Manikam
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ◽  
Favourable Effect ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Start Time ◽  
Probiotic Supplementation

Available reviews have shown potential effects of probiotics on neurobehavioral outcomes through ‘gut-brain axis’ mechanism in adults. However, reviews on cognitive function in children and adolescents are lacking. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of the effect of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function in children and adolescents. A search of four databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycARTICLES, Scopus, PubMed) was conducted to identify RCTs published from January 1990 to December 2018. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and their cognitive outcomes were analysed. Only one study found a positive result with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) 1×1010 cfu supplementation with outcomes on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or Asperger syndrome (AS) manifestations as diagnosed using the International Classification of Diseases-10 criteria. The supplementations were administered to Finnish mothers for 4 weeks before delivery and continuously given for 6 months after delivery if they breastfed, or to the children. ADHD or AS was diagnosed at the age of 13 years in 17.1% children in the placebo and none in the probiotic group (P=0.008). This study found significant differences in species composition and number of cells belonging to the genus Bifidobacterium between healthy children and children who later developed ADHD or AS at different time points. Six remaining studies with varying strains, durations of intervention, start-time of administration, and outcomes demonstrated no difference in cognition after probiotic supplementation. Metagenomic analyses on gut microbiota composition were not performed in any of these studies. In conclusion, the favourable effect of probiotic supplementation on cognitive function in children and adolescents was observed in one study with LGG supplementation by a risk reduction of developing ADHD or AS (i.e. autism). More long-term and follow-up trials using probiotics identifying the effect on cognition are warranted before routine use.

Accuracy and Acceptability of Wrist-Wearable Activity Tracking Devices: A Systematic Review of the Literature. (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Germini ◽  
Noella Noronha ◽  
Victoria Borg Debono ◽  
Binu Abraham Phillip ◽  
Drashti Pete ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Cochrane Central Register ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Step Counts ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers

BACKGROUND Numerous wrist-wearable devices to measure physical activity are currently available, but little is known about how they compare in terms of acceptability and accuracy. OBJECTIVE We performed a systematic review of the literature to assess the acceptability (defined as the level to which a device is tolerated and used by the user) and accuracy of wrist-wearable activity trackers. METHODS We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and SPORTDiscus for studies measuring physical activity in the general population, using wrist-wearable activity trackers. We screened articles for inclusion and, for included studies, reported data on the studies’ setting and population, outcome measured, and risk of bias. RESULTS 65 articles were included in our review. Acceptability was more frequently measured through data availability and wearing time. Data availability was ≥ 75% for FitBit Charge HR, FitBit Flex 2, and Garmin Vivofit. The wearing time was 89% for both GENE Activ and Nike Fuelband. Accuracy was assessed for 14 different outcomes, that can be classified in the following categories: count of specific activities (including step counts), time spent being active, intensity of physical activity (including energy expenditure), heart rate, distance, and speed. Substantial clinical heterogeneity did not allow to perform a meta-analysis of the results. The outcomes assessed more frequently were step counts, heart rate, and energy expenditure. For step counts, Fitbit Charge (or Charge HR) had a MAPE < 25% across 20 studies. For heart rate, Apple watch had a MAPE < 10% in 2 studies. For energy expenditure, the MAPE > 30% for all the brands, showing poor accuracy across devices. CONCLUSIONS Fitbit Charge and Charge HR were consistently shown to have a good accuracy for step counts and Apple watch for measuring heart rate. None of the tested devices proved to be accurate in measuring energy expenditure. Efforts should be made to reduce the heterogeneity between studies

RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIALS OF CHRONIC PAIN IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

2015 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. e1.66-e1
Author(s):  
Rym Boulkedid ◽  
Armiya Yousouf Abdou ◽  
Emilie Desselas ◽  
Marlène Monegat ◽  
Corinne Alberti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trials ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Recurrent Pain ◽  
Pharmacological Agents ◽  
Randomized Controlled

BackgroundApproximately 15 to 30% of children and adolescents suffer from daily pain persistent over more than 3 months and there is evidence supporting that the prevalence of chronic pain is steadily increasing in this population. Chronic pain is known to have a negative impact on children's development and social behaviour, leading often to severe psychological distress and physical disability. We reviewed medical literature to assess the characteristics and quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in chronic and recurrent pain in the paediatric population.MethodsWe performed a systematic search of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library up to March 2014. Bibliographies of relevant articles were also hand-searched. We included all RCTs that involved children and adolescents (age 0 to 18 years) and evaluated the use of a pharmacological agent or a non-pharmacological approach in the context of chronic or recurrent pain. The latter was defined as pain persisting for more than 3 months. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion and evaluated methodological quality.ResultsA total of 52 randomized controlled trials were selected and included in the analysis. The majority were conducted in single hospital institutions, with no information on study funding. Median sample size was 45 (34–57) participants. Almost 50% of the RCTs included both adults and children with a median age at inclusion of 13 years. Non-pharmacological approaches were more commonly tested whereas evaluation of pharmacological agents concerned less than 30% of RCTs. Abdominal pain and headache were the most common types of chronic pain experienced among trial participants. Overall, the methodological quality was poor and did not parallel the number of RCTs that increased over the years. The risk of bias was high or unclear in 70% of the trials.ConclusionsThis is the first systematic review of RCTs conducted to evaluate pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies in chronic and recurrent pain in children and adolescents. Although, management of pain in adults has significantly improved over the years due to the evaluation of numerous analgesic therapies, our results highlight the existing knowledge gap with regards to children and adolescents. Therapeutic strategies, in particular pharmacological agents, applied to relieve chronic or recurrent pain in children and adolescents are not evaluated through high quality RCTs. The need to improve analgesic therapy in children and adolescents with chronic pain is still unmet. We discuss possible research constraints and challenges related to this fact as well as adequate methodologies to circumvent them.

Who Uses Wearable Activity Trackers and Why? A Comparison of Former and Current Users in the United States

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 762-769
Author(s):  
Ciarán P. Friel ◽  
Carol Ewing Garber
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Physical Activity Behavior ◽  
The United States ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Shared Data ◽  
Activity Trackers ◽  
Wearable Activity Trackers ◽  
Average Current ◽  
Activity Behavior

Background: There has been an explosion in the use of wearable activity trackers (WATs), but we do not fully understand who wears them and why. This study’s purpose was to describe the characteristics of WAT users and to compare current and former users. Materials and Methods: A variety of internet-based resources (eg, Craigslist, Facebook) were used to recruit current and former WAT users. Respondents completed a web-based survey, where they provided information on sociodemographic characteristics, health, physical activity behavior, and about their WAT use. Results: Of the 2826 respondents who gave informed consent, 70.8% (n = 2002) met inclusion criteria for this analysis. Respondents ranged from 18 to 81 years old (mean 32.9 ± 12.2 standard deviation) with 73.8% women. Most were current WAT users (68.7%), and the average length of WAT use overall was 9.3 ± 9.7 months. On average, current users wore the device for 3.7 months longer than former users. Compared to current users, former users had a lower body mass index (1.2 kg/m2 less), reported fewer medical conditions, shared data from their device less often, and received the device as a gift more frequently. Conclusions: Current and former users varied in their reasons for using a WAT and how they used their device. Differences identified between these groups support further exploration of associations between WAT users’ profiles and their physical activity behavior.

scholarly journals Mobile health interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour in the workplace: A systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 205520761983988 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Ann Buckingham ◽  
Andrew James Williams ◽  
Karyn Morrissey ◽  
Lisa Price ◽  
John Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Sedentary Behaviour ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Methodological Quality ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
The Impact

Objective This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of mobile health (mHealth) technology (including wearable activity monitors and smartphone applications) for promoting physical activity (PA) and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB) in workplace settings. Methods Systematic searches were conducted in seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and the Cochrane library). Studies were included if mHealth was a major intervention component, PA/SB was a primary outcome, and participants were recruited and/or the intervention was delivered in the workplace. Study quality was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) tool. Interventions were coded for behaviour change techniques (BCTs) using the Coventry, Aberdeen and London – Refined (CALO-RE) taxonomy. Results Twenty-five experimental and quasi-experimental studies were included. Studies were highly heterogeneous and only one was rated as ‘strong’ methodological quality. Common BCTs included self-monitoring, feedback, goal-setting and social comparison. A total of 14/25 (56%) studies reported a significant increase in PA, and 4/10 (40%) reported a significant reduction in sedentary time; 11/16 (69%) studies reported a significant impact on secondary outcomes including reductions in weight, systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol. While overall acceptability was high, a large decline in technology use and engagement was observed over time. Conclusions While methodological quality was generally weak, there is reasonable evidence for mHealth in a workplace context as a feasible, acceptable and effective tool to promote PA. The impact in the longer term and on SB is less clear. Higher quality, mixed methods studies are needed to explore the reasons for decline in engagement with time and the longer-term potential of mHealth in workplace interventions. Protocol registration: The review protocol was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42017058856

The effectiveness of physical activity interventions on communication and social functioning in autistic children and adolescents: A meta-analysis of controlled trials

Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 136236132097764
Author(s):  
John SY Chan ◽  
Kanfeng Deng ◽  
Jin H Yan
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Social Functioning ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Controlled Trials ◽  
Autistic Children ◽  
Physical Activity Interventions

Difficulty with communication and social functioning are two outstanding core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, and physical activity has long been suggested to improve autism spectrum disorder symptoms. In this meta-analysis of controlled trials, we examined the effects of physical activity interventions compared to controls on communication and social functioning in autistic children and adolescents. Included studies are published articles in English with autism spectrum disorder participants younger than 18 years. Literature search was conducted on MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and related databases through 6 May 2020. Quality of study was assessed with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool regarding randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, attrition, and selective reporting. We included 12 controlled trials ( N = 350) with communication outcomes ( k = 8) and/or social functioning outcomes ( k = 11). Results show small to moderate intervention benefits on communication (standardized mean change = 0.27, 95% confidence interval (0.06, 0.48)) and social functioning (standardized mean change = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (0.15, 0.63)), but the result for social functioning may be susceptible to publication bias. Better intervention outcomes are observed in younger participants, suggesting the importance of early participation. This study shows the benefits of physical activity interventions, and they could be considered a cost-effective means for autism spectrum disorder management in the future. Lay abstract Difficulty with communication and social functioning are two outstanding core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, while there is no efficacious pharmacologic treatment available to deal with them. Traditional behavioral therapies usually require specialist therapist and be conducted in specific settings, increasing burdens on families and individuals with autism. Physical activity has long been found to promote physical and mental well-beings, and it is more affordable and versatile than traditional therapies. There is preliminary support for the use of physical activity interventions to improve communication and social functioning in individuals with autism. In this study, we quantitatively aggregate data from existing controlled trials to provide an up-to-date inquiry into the effectiveness of physical activity interventions on communication and social functioning in autistic children and adolescents. We included 12 trials involving 350 participants (8 trials reported communication outcomes and 11 trials reported social functioning outcomes) and found small to moderate benefits on communication and social functioning. Further analyses showed that the benefit of physical activity interventions is greater in younger participants. Results of this study suggest that physical activity interventions are effective to improve communication and social functioning in autistic children and adolescents, and early participation in the interventions can be more beneficial. Given their affordability, versatility, and efficacy, physical activity interventions could be considered a cost-effective option for autism spectrum disorder management in the future.

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