ReviewJMIR mHealth and uHealth2015
Public health guidelines for physical activity: is there an app for that? A review of android and apple app stores.
Review in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 58 papers, 4 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
58 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Clinical Usability of Exercise Prescription Apps for Professional Use: Systematic Review and Multidimensional Evaluation.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Pooled it
- Smartphone Apps Targeting Physical Activity in People With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systematic Quality Appraisal and Content Analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Evaluation of Mobile Apps Targeted to Parents of Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Systematic App Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2019Pooled it
- Effects of Social Media and Mobile Health Apps on Pregnancy Care: Meta-Analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2019Pooled it
- Short- and Long-term Effects of a Mobile Phone App in Conjunction With Brief In-Person Counseling on Physical Activity Among Physically Inactive Women: The mPED Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2019Trial
- User Experience With a Personalized mHealth Service for Physical Activity Promotion in University Students: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Impact of the simultaneous distribution of e-learning and exercise videos on the health literacy and lifestyle of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy science · 2024Article
- Article
- SNapp, a Tailored Smartphone App Intervention to Promote Walking in Adults of Low Socioeconomic Position: Development and Qualitative Pilot Study.JMIR formative research · 2023Article
- The association between COVID-19 preventive strategies, virtual reality exercise, use of fitness apps, physical, and psychological health: testing a structural equation moderation model.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- A Theory-Informed, Personalized mHealth Intervention for Adolescents (Mobile App for Physical Activity): Development and Pilot Study.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Rating the Quality of Smartphone Apps Related to Shoulder Pain: Systematic Search and Evaluation Using the Mobile App Rating Scale.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Video-based smartphone app ('VIDEA bewegt') for physical activity support in German adults: a single-armed observational study.BMJ open · 2022Observational
- Profile of adults users of smartphone applications for monitoring the level of physical activity and associated factors: A cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2022Article
- Demographic Characteristics and Digital Platforms for Physical Activity Among the Chinese Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mediating Analysis.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2022Article
- Observational
- Smartphone-Based Interventions for Physical Activity Promotion: Scoping Review of the Evidence Over the Last 10 Years.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Article
- Mobile-application intervention on physical activity of pregnant women in Iran during the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020.Journal of education and health promotion · 2021Article
- The Effect of ω3 Fatty Acids Supplementation on Levels of PPARγ and UCP2 Genes Expression, Serum Level of UCP2 Protein, Metabolic Status, and Appetite in Elite male Athletes: Protocol for a Randomized Control Trial.International journal of surgery protocols · 2021Article
- The Physical Activity Wearables in the Police Force (PAW-Force) study: acceptability and impact.BMC public health · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysical activity participation is an important behavior for modifying lifestyle-related disease risk. Mobile health apps for chronic disease management and prevention are being developed at a rapid rate. However, it is unclear whether these apps are evidence-based. Current public health recommendations for physical activity participation for adults highlight the importance of engaging in 150 minutes weekly of purposeful exercise, and muscle strengthening activities on at least 2 days of the week.
objectiveThe aims of the present review were to (1) identify available evidence-based physical activity apps, and (2) identify technological features that could be leveraged to improve health outcomes.
methodsiTunes and Google Play mobile app stores were searched using keyword and category searching during a single day (February 18, 2014) for physical activity apps available in English. The description pages of eligible apps were reviewed by 4 independent reviewers for evidence-based content, technological, and descriptive features. An a priori subset of apps was downloaded for further review (n=6 affiliated with a non-commercial agency; n=10 top rated; n=10 random selection), and developers were contacted for information regarding evidence-informed content.
resultsThe initial search yielded 2400 apps, of which 379 apps (n=206 iTunes; n=173 Google Play) were eligible. Primary results demonstrated no apps (n=0) adhering to evidence-based guidelines for aerobic physical activity, and 7 out of 379 implementing evidence-based guidelines for resistance training physical activity. Technological features of apps included social networking (n=207), pairing with a peripheral health device (n=61), and measuring additional health parameters (n=139). Secondary results revealed 1 app that referenced physical activity guidelines (150 minutes/weekly of exercise), and demonstrated that apps were based on various physical activity reports (n=4) or personal expertise (n=2).
conclusionsThe present study demonstrated a shortage of evidence-based physical activity apps. This gap underscores the need for development of evidence-informed mobile apps. Results highlight the opportunity to develop evidence-informed mobile apps that can be used clinically to enhance health outcomes.
Indexed as
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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.