Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28979157›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of general medicine2017

The role of smartphones in encouraging physical activity in adults.

Melanie I Stuckey, Shawn W Carter, Emily Knight

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of general medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 6 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Melanie I StuckeyResearch and Academics, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON, Canada.
Shawn W CarterEating Disorders Residential Program, Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON, Canada.
Emily KnightFaculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lack of physical activity is a global public health issue. Behavioral change interventions utilizing smartphone applications (apps) are considered a potential solution. The purpose of this literature review was to: 1) determine whether smartphone-based interventions encourage the initiation of, and participation in, physical activity; 2) explore the success of interventions in different populations; and 3) examine the key factors of the interventions that successfully encouraged physical activity. Eight databases (Medline, Scopus, EBM Reviews-Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBM Reviews-Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycInfo, SportDISCUS, CINAHL, and EMBASE) were searched and studies reporting physical activity outcomes following interventions using smartphone apps in adults were included in the narrative review. Results were mixed with eight studies reporting increased physical activity and ten reporting no change. Interventions did not appear to be successful in specific populations defined by age, sex, country, or clinical diagnosis. There was no conclusive evidence that a specific behavioral theory or behavioral change technique was superior in eliciting behavioral change. The literature remains limited primarily to short-term studies, many of which are underpowered feasibility or pilot studies; therefore, many knowledge gaps regarding the effectiveness of smartphone apps in encouraging physical activity remain. Robust studies that can accommodate the fast pace of the technology industry are needed to examine outcomes in large populations.

Indexed as

behavioral changeexercisemobile healthpublic health

Identifiers

PMID28979157
PMCPMC5602432

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

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.