Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36942324›Full record

ArticleHealth education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education2023

Predictors of Food and Physical Activity Tracking Among Young Adults.

Erin K O'Loughlin, Maryam Marashi, Catherine M Sabiston, Kristen M Lucibello, Marie-Pierre Sylvestre, Jennifer L O'Loughlin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health education & behavior : the official publication of the Society for Public Health Education, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 3 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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Inequalities in Exclusively Mobile Interventions Targeting Weight-Related Behaviors: Systematic Review of Observational Studies.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2026
    Pooled it
  2. Associations Between the Use of Fitness and Diet Tracking Technology and Disordered Eating Behaviour: A Systematic Review.European eating disorders review : the journal of the Eating Disorders Association · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Erin K O'LoughlinCentre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Maryam MarashiUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-3104-3148
Catherine M SabistonUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Kristen M LucibelloUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Marie-Pierre SylvestreCentre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Jennifer L O'LoughlinCentre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montreal, Quebec, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7240-7588

Funding

CIHR 451832
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMonitoring food intake and physical activity (PA) using tracking applications may support behavior change. However, few longitudinal studies identify the characteristics of young adults who track their behavior, findings that could be useful in designing tracking-related interventions. Our objective was to identify predictors of past-year food and PA tracking among young adults.

methodsData were available for 676 young adults participating in the ongoing longitudinal Nicotine Dependence in Teens Study. Potential predictors were measured in 2017-2020 at age 31, and past-year food and PA tracking were measured in 2021-2022 at age 34. Each potential predictor was studied in a separate multivariable logistic regression model controlling for age, sex, and educational attainment.

resultsOne third (37%) of participants reported past-year PA tracking; 14% reported past-year food, and 10% reported both. Nine and 11 of 41 potential predictors were associated with food and PA tracking, respectively. Compensatory behaviors after overeating, trying to lose weight, self-report overweight, reporting a wide variety of exercise behaviors, and pressure to lose weight predicted both food and PA tracking.

conclusionFood and PA tracking are relatively common among young adults. If the associations observed herein between compensatory behavior after overeating and tracking (among other observed associations) are replicated and found to be causal, caution may need to be exercised in making "blanket" recommendations to track food intake and/or PA to all young adults seeking behavior change.

Indexed as

FoodOverweightAdolescentAdultExerciseHumansHyperphagiaWeight LossYoung Adulteating disordersfitbitfood trackinglongitudinal studyMy Fitness Palphysical activityphysical activity trackingyoung adults

Identifiers

PMID36942324
PMCPMC10492434

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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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.