Trial reportThe journal of nutrition, health & aging2020
The Gray Matters App Targeting Health Behaviors Associated with Alzheimer's Risk: Improvements in Intrinsic Motivation and Impact on Diet Quality and Physical Activity.
Trial report in The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-Based, TTM-Informed and TTM-Congruent Behaviour Change Interventions for Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Risk: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Engagement With Meditation Apps: Cross-Sectional Survey of Use and Associations.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Toward a Smartphone-Based and Conversational Agent-Delivered Just-in-Time Adaptive Holistic Lifestyle Intervention for Older Adults Affected by Cognitive Decline: Two-Week Proof-of-Concept Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Digital-Based Nutrition Interventions Employing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet: A Systematic Scoping Review.International journal of hypertension · 2025Review
- Effectiveness of holistic mobile health interventions on diet, and physical, and mental health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.EClinicalMedicine · 2023Article
- The role of type 2 diabetes in the association between habitual glucosamine use and dementia: a prospective cohort study.Alzheimer's research & therapy · 2022Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveWe examine if the Gray Matters intervention (education and behavioral self-monitoring app targeting lifestyle risks for Alzheimer's disease [AD]) affected participants' motivation for change and whether high motivation predicts improved diet and physical activity over 6 months.
designIn this 6-month randomized controlled trial (treatment n=104; control n=42; assessed pre/post intervention) amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation, and intrinsic motivation were assessed via the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS). Diet quality was assessed via adherence to the DASH diet, and physical activity was assessed in minutes.
participantsEligibility criteria included not having significant cognitive impairment. Participants were aged 39-64 (M = 54.17, SD = 6.9), 66% female, 81% married, 90% White, and 80% had a college degree.
interventionTreatment included an activity tracker, Gray Matters app, access to booster sessions, contact with a student health coach, and study website.
settingParticipants were in the general community.
resultsIndependent samples t-tests determined that intrinsic motivation (IM) increased significantly for the treatment group (M = 2.09 SD = 4.82), compared to the control group (M = 1.00 SD = 5.52; t (130) = -3.04, p = .003). Comparing subgroups of people with High vs Low IM we found that High IM males increased vigorous physical activity more than Lower IM males (F(1,42)=5.053, p=.030). Comparing persons aged 58-64 years with High vs Lower IM, High IM persons had less improvement in diet quality F(1,48)=4.538; p=0.038).
conclusionRCT results support that the Gray Matters AD-focused intervention increased IM, and IM was associated with improved physical activity and diet quality for some subgroups.
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