Use of text messaging services to promote health behaviors in children

Daniel B. Fassnacht; Kathina Ali; Cátia Silva; Sónia Gonçalves; Paulo P.P. Machado

doi:10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006

Use of text messaging services to promote health behaviors in children

Daniel B. Fassnacht, Kathina Ali, Cátia Silva, Sónia Gonçalves, Paulo P.P. Machado^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

40 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To examine adherence to, satisfaction with, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS) to promote health behaviors in school-aged children. Methods: A total of 49 children (aged 8-10 years) were randomized by school classes into a monitoring vs no-monitoring group. All children participated in 2 educational group sessions that focused on health behaviors: the advantages of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, and decreasing screen time. The monitoring group also reported daily behavior using SMS and received supportive feedback for 8 weeks. Results: Children submitted 61% of the required SMS, which indicated good adherence to the intervention. A number of children (95%) reported being satisfied with the program. Analyses of covariance indicated increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (χ² [2] = 7.27; P < .05) and a decrease in screen time (χ² [2] = 6.79; P < .05). Conclusions and Implications: The current SMS intervention was a useful tool to monitor and promote health behaviors in children.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	75-80
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior
Volume	47
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2015

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006

Cite this

@article{fcd29835c30e45179ccc0e7a6f1341c6,

title = "Use of text messaging services to promote health behaviors in children",

abstract = "Objective: To examine adherence to, satisfaction with, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS) to promote health behaviors in school-aged children. Methods: A total of 49 children (aged 8-10 years) were randomized by school classes into a monitoring vs no-monitoring group. All children participated in 2 educational group sessions that focused on health behaviors: the advantages of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, and decreasing screen time. The monitoring group also reported daily behavior using SMS and received supportive feedback for 8 weeks. Results: Children submitted 61\% of the required SMS, which indicated good adherence to the intervention. A number of children (95\%) reported being satisfied with the program. Analyses of covariance indicated increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (χ2 [2] = 7.27; P < .05) and a decrease in screen time (χ2 [2] = 6.79; P < .05). Conclusions and Implications: The current SMS intervention was a useful tool to monitor and promote health behaviors in children.",

keywords = "Eating behavior, Exercise, Health behavior, Text messaging",

author = "Fassnacht, \{Daniel B.\} and Kathina Ali and C{\'a}tia Silva and S{\'o}nia Gon{\c c}alves and Machado, \{Paulo P.P.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior.",

year = "2015",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006",

language = "English",

volume = "47",

pages = "75--80",

journal = "Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior",

issn = "1499-4046",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Use of text messaging services to promote health behaviors in children

AU - Fassnacht, Daniel B.

AU - Ali, Kathina

AU - Silva, Cátia

AU - Gonçalves, Sónia

AU - Machado, Paulo P.P.

PY - 2015/1/1

Y1 - 2015/1/1

N2 - Objective: To examine adherence to, satisfaction with, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS) to promote health behaviors in school-aged children. Methods: A total of 49 children (aged 8-10 years) were randomized by school classes into a monitoring vs no-monitoring group. All children participated in 2 educational group sessions that focused on health behaviors: the advantages of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, and decreasing screen time. The monitoring group also reported daily behavior using SMS and received supportive feedback for 8 weeks. Results: Children submitted 61% of the required SMS, which indicated good adherence to the intervention. A number of children (95%) reported being satisfied with the program. Analyses of covariance indicated increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (χ2 [2] = 7.27; P < .05) and a decrease in screen time (χ2 [2] = 6.79; P < .05). Conclusions and Implications: The current SMS intervention was a useful tool to monitor and promote health behaviors in children.

AB - Objective: To examine adherence to, satisfaction with, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS) to promote health behaviors in school-aged children. Methods: A total of 49 children (aged 8-10 years) were randomized by school classes into a monitoring vs no-monitoring group. All children participated in 2 educational group sessions that focused on health behaviors: the advantages of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity, and decreasing screen time. The monitoring group also reported daily behavior using SMS and received supportive feedback for 8 weeks. Results: Children submitted 61% of the required SMS, which indicated good adherence to the intervention. A number of children (95%) reported being satisfied with the program. Analyses of covariance indicated increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (χ2 [2] = 7.27; P < .05) and a decrease in screen time (χ2 [2] = 6.79; P < .05). Conclusions and Implications: The current SMS intervention was a useful tool to monitor and promote health behaviors in children.

KW - Eating behavior

KW - Exercise

KW - Health behavior

KW - Text messaging

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84918505087

U2 - 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006

DO - 10.1016/j.jneb.2014.08.006

M3 - Article

SN - 1499-4046

VL - 47

SP - 75

EP - 80

JO - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

JF - Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior

IS - 1

ER -

Use of text messaging services to promote health behaviors in children

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this