SynthesisThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2012
Meta-analysis of internet-delivered interventions to increase physical activity levels.
Synthesis in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 259 papers, 28 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
259 citing papers in PubMed, 28 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Individual versus group-based interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis of physical activity, functional, psychosocial and health outcomes.Nature human behaviour · 2026Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Online Exercise on Physical Activity, Motor Function, and Mental Health: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Pooled it
- A meta-analysis of eHealth interventions to promote physical activity in young, middle-aged, and late middle-aged adults with obesity or overweight.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025Pooled it
- The effectiveness of digital health intervention on glycemic control and physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in digital health · 2025Pooled it
- The effectiveness of digital physical activity interventions in older adults: a systematic umbrella review and meta-meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Digital Health Interventions in Promoting Physical Activity Among College Students: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Effective Behavior Change Techniques in Digital Health Interventions for the Prevention or Management of Noncommunicable Diseases: An Umbrella Review.Annals of behavioral medicine : a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Blended Care Interventions to Promote Physical Activity: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Sports medicine - open · 2022Pooled it
- The association between the built environment and intervention-facilitated physical activity: a narrative systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2022Pooled it
- Efficacy of Mobile Health Applications to Improve Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis for Physically Inactive Individuals.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Clinical and patient-centered implementation outcomes of mHealth interventions for type 2 diabetes in low-and-middle income countries: a systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2022Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Self-Guided Digital Interventions to Improve Physical Activity and Exercise Outcomes for People With Chronic Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2022Pooled it
- The effectiveness of digital interventions for increasing physical activity in individuals of low socioeconomic status: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2021Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Digital Interventions for Reducing Behavioral Risks of Cardiovascular Disease in Nonclinical Adult Populations: Systematic Review of Reviews.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Associations Between Digital Health Intervention Engagement, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Behavior: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Design Features for Improving Mobile Health Intervention User Engagement: Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Impact of the Method of Delivering Electronic Health Behavior Change Interventions in Survivors of Cancer on Engagement, Health Behaviors, and Health Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Text Message Interventions for Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.American journal of preventive medicine · 2020Pooled it
- The effectiveness of app-based mobile interventions on nutrition behaviours and nutrition-related health outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2019Pooled it
- Your Personal Motivator is with You: A Systematic Review of Mobile Phone Applications Aiming at Increasing Physical Activity.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2019Pooled it
199 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Many internet-delivered physical activity behaviour change programs have been developed and evaluated. However, further evidence is required to ascertain the overall effectiveness of such interventions. The objective of the present review was to evaluate the effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions to increase physical activity, whilst also examining the effect of intervention moderators. A systematic search strategy identified relevant studies published in the English-language from Pubmed, Proquest, Scopus, PsychINFO, CINHAL, and Sport Discuss (January 1990 - June 2011). Eligible studies were required to include an internet-delivered intervention, target an adult population, measure and target physical activity as an outcome variable, and include a comparison group that did not receive internet-delivered materials. Studies were coded independently by two investigators. Overall effect sizes were combined based on the fixed effect model. Homogeneity and subsequent exploratory moderator analysis was undertaken. A total of 34 articles were identified for inclusion. The overall mean effect of internet-delivered interventions on physical activity was d = 0.14 (p = 0.00). Fixed-effect analysis revealed significant heterogeneity across studies (Q = 73.75; p = 0.00). Moderating variables such as larger sample size, screening for baseline physical activity levels and the inclusion of educational components significantly increased intervention effectiveness. Results of the meta-analysis support the delivery of internet-delivered interventions in producing positive changes in physical activity, however effect sizes were small. The ability of internet-delivered interventions to produce meaningful change in long-term physical activity remains unclear.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.