scholarly journals mHealth technology for ecological momentary assessment in physical activity research: a systematic review

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Zapata-Lamana ◽  
Jaume F. Lalanza ◽  
Josep-Maria Losilla ◽  
Eva Parrado ◽  
Lluis Capdevila
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Psychological State ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Mhealth Technology ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Objective To systematically review the publications on ecological momentary assessment (EMA) relating to physical activity (PA) behavior in order to classify the methodologies, and to identify the main mHealth technology-based tools and procedures that have been applied during the first 10 years since the emergence of smartphones. As a result of this review, we want to ask if there is enough evidence to propose the use of the term “mEMA” (mobile-based EMA). Design A systematic review according to PRISMA Statement (PROSPERO registration: CRD42018088136). Method Four databases (PsycINFO, CINALH, Medline and Web of Science Core Collection) were searched electronically from 2008 to February 2018. Results A total of 76 studies from 297 potential articles on the use of EMA and PA were included in this review. It was found that 71% of studies specifically used “EMA” for assessing PA behaviors but the rest used other terminology that also adjusted to the inclusion criteria. Just over half (51.3%) of studies (39) used mHealth technology, mainly smartphones, for collecting EMA data. The majority (79.5%) of these studies (31 out of 39) were published during the last 4 years. On the other hand, 58.8% of studies that only used paper-and-pencil were published during the first 3 years of the 10-year period analyzed. An accelerometer was the main built-in sensor used for collecting PA behavior by means of mHealth (69%). Most of the studies were carried out on young-adult samples, with only three studies in older adults. Women were included in 60% of studies, and healthy people in 82%. The studies lasted between 1 and 7 days in 57.9%, and between three and seven assessments per day were carried out in 37%. The most popular topics evaluated together with PA were psychological state and social and environmental context. Conclusions We have classified the EMA methodologies used for assessing PA behaviors. A total of 71% of studies used the term “EMA” and 51.3% used mHealth technology. Accelerometers have been the main built-in sensor used for collecting PA. The change of trend in the use of tools for EMA in PA coincides with the technological advances of the last decade due to the emergence of smartphones and mHealth technology. There is enough evidence to use the term mEMA when mHealth technology is being used for monitoring real-time lifestyle behaviors in natural situations. We define mEMA as the use of mobile computing and communication technologies for the EMA of health and lifestyle behaviors. It is clear that the use of mHealth is increasing, but there is still a lot to be gained from taking advantage of all the capabilities of this technology in order to apply EMA to PA behavior. Thus, mEMA methodology can help in the monitoring of healthy lifestyles under both subjective and objective perspectives. The tendency for future research should be the automatic recognition of the PA of the user without interrupting their behavior. The ecological information could be completed with voice messages, image captures or brief text selections on the touch screen made in real time, all managed through smartphone apps. This methodology could be extended when EMA combined with mHealth are used to evaluate other lifestyle behaviors.

scholarly journals A Systematic Review of Ecological Momentary Assessment of Diet: Implications and Perspectives for Nutritional Epidemiology

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Maugeri ◽  
Martina Barchitta
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Contextual Information ◽  
Dietary Assessment ◽  
Nutritional Epidemiology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

The ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of eating behaviors represents an innovative, detailed and valid approach to capture the complexity of food intake and to overcome limitations of traditional dietary assessment methods. Moreover, EMA studies might generate a large variety of data (e.g., dietary, behavioral, physical, sociopsychological, and contextual information), thereby enabling to examine concurrent exposures and events. Due to the increasing number of studies in this field of research, here we systematically reviewed EMA methods for the assessment of dietary intake in epidemiological studies, and discussed implications and perspectives for future research. Our study summarized several protocols and platforms that may be applied to assess diet in terms of eating frequency, choices, and habits. Nearly 38% of studies used an event-contingent strategy by asking participants to report foods and beverages consumed in real-time at each eating occasion. Instead, approximately 55% of studies used a signal-contingent prompting approach that notified the participants to record their dietary consumption. The remaining studies used a combination of event- and signal-contingent protocols to compare their accuracy or to improve the assessment of dietary data. Although both approaches might improve the accuracy and ecological validity of dietary assessment—also reducing the burden for participants—some limitations should nevertheless be considered. Despite these limitations, our systematic review pointed out that EMA can be applied in various fields of nutritional epidemiology, from the identification of determinants of dietary habits in healthy people to the management of patients with eating or metabolic disorders. However, more efforts should be encouraged to improve the validity and the reliability of EMA and to provide further technological innovations for public health research and interventions.

scholarly journals Study protocol: One plus one can be greater than two—Ecological momentary assessment for Black prostate cancer survivors and partners

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0255614
Author(s):  
Dalnim Cho ◽  
Kathrin Milbury ◽  
Yue Liao ◽  
Curtis A. Pettaway ◽  
Justin R. Gregg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Eating Behaviors ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Romantic Partners ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviors ◽  
Retrospective Survey ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Given that romantic partners play a pivotal role in patients’ survivorship period, integrating partners into survivorship care and broadening the focus of behavioral interventions from the individual (survivor) to the survivor-partner dyad may make healthy lifestyle behaviors more easily adopted and potentially maintained. Understanding the role of dyadic processes in Black survivors is particularly important because their lifestyle behaviors are poor and they have higher cancer-specific and all-cause mortality. To develop an effective dyadic lifestyle behavior intervention for Black survivors, micro-level investigations of interactions between Black survivors and their partners are necessary to pinpoint how survivors and partners facilitate or hinder each other’s lifestyle behaviors in their natural, everyday lives. Accordingly, the objective of the present study is to fill these gaps using ecological momentary assessment to eventually develop more effective lifestyle interventions for Black prostate cancer (PCa) survivors and partners. A total of 120 dyads (i.e., 240 individuals) who are Black adult survivors diagnosed with non-metastatic PCa and their romantic partners will be asked to complete four assessments per day for 14 consecutive days on a smartphone after an initial retrospective survey. Over the 14 days, participants will be asked to complete a brief survey regarding their lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, sedentariness and eating behaviors), contexts of lifestyle behaviors, stress, and coping. Physical activity and sedentary behavior will be assessed via accelerometer; eating behaviors will be assessed with the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Assessment Tool. After completing the 14-day assessment, participants will be asked to complete a final retrospective survey. Results of the proposed study will inform the rigorous development of a theory-based dyadic lifestyle intervention in this vulnerable survivorship population with the ultimate goal to improve overall survival and reduce morbidities (for survivors) and reduce cancer incidence (for partners).

scholarly journals Ecological momentary assessment to explore fatigue, mood and physical activity levels in people receiving peritoneal dialysis: A study protocol

2021 ◽  
pp. 089686082199224
Author(s):  
Brett Tarca ◽  
Shilpanjali Jesudason ◽  
Richard Le Leu ◽  
Michelle Ovenden ◽  
Monique Borlace ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Peritoneal Dialysis ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
The Real ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Introduction: Fatigue is a frequent and debilitating symptom for people with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving dialysis. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) allows real-time data capture of day-to-day and diurnal variations. EMA has been used to study haemodialysis-related fatigue but not in people receiving peritoneal dialysis who are unique in their physical, environmental and logistical characteristics. The aim of this study is to explore the real-time associations between fatigue and mood (EMA mobile application) and objective physical activity levels (accelerometry) in people with EKSD receiving peritoneal dialysis. Method: A 7-day intensive longitudinal study will be conducted. People receiving peritoneal dialysis within South Australia will be invited to participate. Five times throughout the day, participants will be prompted to answer 18 questions relating to fatigue (Visual Analogue Scale to Evaluate Fatigue Severity) and a single question for mood (Visual Analogue Mood Scale). Participants will continuously wear a GENEActiv accelerometer to capture physical activity levels during the 7-day period. At the completion of the data collection, participants will answer questions to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using EMA. Discussion: This study will be the first to explore the real-time relationships between fatigue, mood and physical activity in people with ESKD receiving peritoneal dialysis. Understanding the fluctuations people experience and the relationships between mood and physical activity and fatigue will inform clinical management and well-being intervention development.

scholarly journals Associations between parent and child physical activity and eating behaviours in a diverse sample: an ecological momentary assessment study

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (15) ◽  
pp. 2728-2736
Author(s):  
Rachel Wirthlin ◽  
Jennifer A Linde ◽  
Amanda Trofholz ◽  
Allan Tate ◽  
Katie Loth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Ecological Momentary Assessment ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Interaction Analysis ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

AbstractObjective:This study is a secondary data analysis that examines the association between parent modelling of dietary intake and physical activity and the same child behaviours among different races/ethnicities using innovative, rigorous and objective measures.Design:Ecological momentary assessment surveys were sent to parents to assess whether their child had seen them exercise or consume food. Dietary recall data and accelerometry were used to determine dietary intake and physical activity behaviours of children.Setting:Participants were randomly selected from primary care clinics, serving low-income and racially/ethnically diverse families in Minnesota, USA.Participants:Participants were families with children aged 5–7 years old who lived with parents 50 % of the time and shared at least one meal together.Results:A 10 percentage point higher prevalence in parent modelling of fruit and vegetable intake was associated with 0·12 higher serving intake of those same foods in children. The prevalence of parent modelling of eating energy dense foods (10 % prevalence units) was associated with 0·09 higher serving intake of sugar-sweetened beverages. Furthermore, accelerometry-measured parent sedentary hours was strongly correlated with child sedentary time (0·37 child sedentary hours per parent sedentary hours). An exploratory interaction analysis did not reveal any statistical evidence that these relationships depended on the child’s race/ethnic background.Conclusions:Interventions that increase parent modelling of healthy eating and minimise modelling of energy dense foods may have favourable effects on child dietary quality. Additionally, future research is needed to clarify the associations of parent modelling of physical activity and children’s physical activity levels.

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