Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28800736›Full record

SynthesisThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2017

Using computer, mobile and wearable technology enhanced interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Aoife Stephenson, Suzanne M McDonough, Marie H Murphy, Chris D Nugent, Jacqueline L Mair

3 registry-linked trialsAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 126 papers, 28 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
126citing papers in PubMed, 28 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.

NCT04847037 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

Place of Connected Tools in the Follow-up of the Bariatric Patient: Can They Allow Rapid Management of Complications and Reduce Lost of Follow-up During Postoperative Period?

TypeinterventionalSponsorElsanRan2020 to 2025Enrolled200ConditionsBariatric Surgery CandidateArmsConnected tools
NCT06088511 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Effectiveness of a Dyadic e-Health System on Enhancing Healthy Lifestyles of Older Adults With Sarcopenia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityRan2024 to 2026Enrolled88ConditionsSarcopeniaArmse-Health System with nutritional advice, The Exercise Training
NCT06411769 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Evidence-based Intervention to Improve Walking Engagement in El Paso, Texas

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of Texas, El PasoRan2024 to 2027Enrolled406ConditionsActivity Trackers, Physical ActivityArms50K4LIfe, SMS Text Messaging, Individual, School
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

126 citing papers in PubMed, 28 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
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66 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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

5 authors.

Aoife Stephenson, Shore Rd, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland. stephenson-a@email.ulster.ac.uk.
Suzanne M McDonoughCentre for Health and Rehabilitation Technologies, Institute of Nursing and Health Research, Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, Ulster University, Shore Rd, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland.
Marie H Murphy, Shore Rd, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland.
Chris D NugentComputer Science Research Institute, Faculty of Computing and Engineering, Ulster University, Shore Rd, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland.
Jacqueline L Mair, Shore Rd, Newtownabbey, BT37 0QB, Northern Ireland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh levels of sedentary behaviour (SB) are associated with negative health consequences. Technology enhanced solutions such as mobile applications, activity monitors, prompting software, texts, emails and websites are being harnessed to reduce SB. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of such technology enhanced interventions aimed at reducing SB in healthy adults and to examine the behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used.

methodsFive electronic databases were searched to identify randomised-controlled trials (RCTs), published up to June 2016. Interventions using computer, mobile or wearable technologies to facilitate a reduction in SB, using a measure of sedentary time as an outcome, were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool and interventions were coded using the BCT Taxonomy (v1).

resultsMeta-analysis of 15/17 RCTs suggested that computer, mobile and wearable technology tools resulted in a mean reduction of -41.28 min per day (min/day) of sitting time (95% CI -60.99, -21.58, I2 = 77%, n = 1402), in favour of the intervention group at end point follow-up. The pooled effects showed mean reductions at short (≤ 3 months), medium (>3 to 6 months), and long-term follow-up (>6 months) of -42.42 min/day, -37.23 min/day and -1.65 min/day, respectively. Overall, 16/17 studies were deemed as having a high or unclear risk of bias, and 1/17 was judged to be at a low risk of bias. A total of 46 BCTs (14 unique) were coded for the computer, mobile and wearable components of the interventions. The most frequently coded were "prompts and cues", "self-monitoring of behaviour", "social support (unspecified)" and "goal setting (behaviour)".

conclusionInterventions using computer, mobile and wearable technologies can be effective in reducing SB. Effectiveness appeared most prominent in the short-term and lessened over time. A range of BCTs have been implemented in these interventions. Future studies need to improve reporting of BCTs within interventions and address the methodological flaws identified within the review through the use of more rigorously controlled study designs with longer-term follow-ups, objective measures of SB and the incorporation of strategies to reduce attrition.

trial registrationThe review protocol was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42016038187.

Indexed as

Health BehaviorSedentary BehaviorWearable Electronic DevicesDatabases, FactualHealth PromotionHumansMobile ApplicationsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicBehaviour changeDigital technologyRandomised-controlled trialsSedentary behaviourSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID28800736
PMCPMC5553917

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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 Socratic graph.