ReviewJMIR mHealth and uHealth2018
Text Messaging Interventions for Improvement in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Youth: Systematic Review.
Review in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 54 papers, 7 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
54 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Digital Tools' Effectiveness on Physical Activity Outcomes in Children and Adolescents: Umbrella Review.JMIR public health and surveillance · 2026Pooled it
- The Use of Mobile Technologies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behaviors in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of eHealth Interventions Promoting Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Interventions to Reduce Sedentary Time in Different Target Groups and Settings in Germany: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis and Recommendations on Interventions.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Effects of Smartphone-Based Interventions on Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2021Pooled it
- Process evaluations of early childhood obesity prevention interventions delivered via telephone or text messages: a systematic review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2021Pooled it
- Fitbit-Based Interventions for Healthy Lifestyle Outcomes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Trial
- A Multiple Technology-Based Physical Activity Intervention for Latina Adolescents: Results From the Chicas Fuertes Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2025Trial
- Effectiveness of Mobile-Based Progressive and Fixed Physical Activity on Depression, Stress, Anxiety, and Quality of Life Outcomes Among Adults in South Korea: Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Trial
- Effects of a Physical Exercise Program and Health Advice on Sedentary Behavior of Adolescents.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Trial
- Economic evaluation of the Communicating Healthy Beginnings Advice by Telephone trial for early childhood obesity prevention.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2022Trial
- Effects of telephone support or short message service on body mass index, eating and screen time behaviours of children age 2 years: A 3-arm randomized controlled trial.Pediatric obesity · 2022Trial
- A Community-Based Lifestyle-Integrated Physical Activity Intervention to Enhance Physical Activity, Positive Family Communication, and Perceived Health in Deprived Families: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.Frontiers in public health · 2020Trial
- Automated Physical Activity Support for Adults and Youth From Low-Income Communities: Single-Arm Pilot Study.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2026Article
- Moderators of a mHealth Intervention for Adolescent Physical Activity: Intervention Refinement Study.JMIR pediatrics and parenting · 2025Article
- Adolescents' ultra-processed food consumption status and its association with food literacy: a cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- Multidisciplinary perspectives on personalised prevention in youth mental health.Frontiers in digital health · 2025Article
- Toward a whole-of-virtual school framework for promoting student physical activity: a scoping review protocol.Systematic reviews · 2024Article
- Article
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
backgroundThe use of text messages (short message service, SMS) to change physical activity and sedentary behavior in youth is of interest due to the need for novel, more effective intervention approaches. Previous reviews have examined a variety of technology-based interventions and their impact on different health behaviors, but evidence regarding the impact of just SMS on physical activity and sedentary behavior is lacking.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and use of theory of SMS interventions for improving physical activity and sedentary behavior in youth.
methodsAuthors systematically searched electronic databases from March to November 2017. Citations were sifted using additional reviewers, and a qualitative synthesis of eligible studies was conducted using piloted data extraction forms. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to be of a randomized controlled or quasi-experimental design, incorporate SMS, involve adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 years, and assess at least one physical activity or sedentary behavior outcome. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool.
resultsA total of 13 studies reporting 11 interventions were included in the qualitative analysis. Studies included interventions that were conducted in schools, online, or face-to-face. Studies were of high heterogeneity with regard to study duration, participant characteristics, intervention content, and outcome measures. Findings were equivocal with regard to intervention effectiveness for physical activity and sedentary behavior. Overall, 7 interventions resulted in an improvement for physical activity and 6 for sedentary behavior. All studies were judged to be of high risk of bias for at least 1 item.
conclusionsSome studies in this review showed promising results for using SMS to improve physical activity and sedentary behavior in youth. High heterogeneity of design and outcome measures precluded data pooling and conclusions as to which specific intervention elements are linked to increased effectiveness cannot be drawn. The authors propose incorporating the following elements in future studies: specific focus on desired health behavior; mixed-methods design; include long-term follow-up; include self-monitoring, goal setting, and feedback; combine SMS with a mobile app; and send 3 or more SMS text messages per week. More rigorous studies are needed to explore the relationship between intervention effectiveness and specific intervention components such as content and delivery.
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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.