Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33522980›Full record

SynthesisJMIR mHealth and uHealth2021

Effects of Smartphone-Based Interventions on Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Zihao He, Hua Wu, Fengyu Yu, Jinmei Fu, Shunli Sun, Ting Huang, Runze Wang, Delong Chen, Guanggao Zhao, Minghui Quan

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 62 papers, 19 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
62citing papers in PubMed, 19 pooled it
24.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
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

62 citing papers in PubMed, 19 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 112 citations in OpenAlex.

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2 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

10 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Zihao He *School of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5222-9013
Hua Wu *Rehabilitation Medicine Center, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing University, Jiaxing, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2474-0196
Fengyu YuSchool of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6816-6483
Jinmei FuJiangXi Institute of Sport Science, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0003-4992-9657
Shunli SunJiangXi Institute of Sport Science, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0001-6661-3406
Ting HuangSchool of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0003-0160-5661
Runze WangSchool of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2992-6352
Delong ChenSchool of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8865-3505
Guanggao ZhaoSchool of Physical Education, NanChang University, NanChang, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2843-6968
Minghui QuanSchool of Kinesiology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.ORCID 0000-0002-4016-1322
Nanchang University · CNJiaxing University · CNShanghai University of Sport · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAbout 70% of children and adolescents worldwide do not meet the recommended level of physical activity (PA), which is closely associated with physical, psychological, and cognitive well-being. Nowadays, the use of technologies to change PA is of interest due to the need for novel, more effective intervention approaches. The previous meta-analyses have examined smartphone-based interventions and their impact on PA in adults, but evidence in children and adolescents still needs further research.

objectiveThis systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the effectiveness of smartphone-based interventions for improving PA in children and adolescents.

methodsFive electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, Scopus, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure) were searched up to June 29, 2020. Randomized controlled trials with a control group that examine the effect of smartphone interventions on PA among children and adolescents were included. Bias risks were assessed using the Cochrane collaboration tool. Meta-analysis was performed to assess the pooled effect on PA using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the potential modifying effects of different factors (eg, types of intervention, intervention duration, age, measurement, study quality).

resultsA total of 9 studies were included in this review, including 4 mobile app interventions, 3 SMS text messaging interventions, and 2 app + SMS text messaging interventions. In general, the risk of bias of included studies was low. Compared with the control group, the use of smartphone intervention significantly improved PA (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.44, 95% CI 0.11-0.77, P=.009), especially for total PA (TPA; weighted mean difference [WMD] 32.35, 95% CI 10.36-54.33, P=.004) and daily steps (WMD 1185, 95% CI 303-2068, P=.008), but not for moderate-to-vigorous PA (WMD 3.91, 95% CI -1.99 to 9.81, P=.19). High statistical heterogeneity was detected (I

conclusionsThe evidence of meta-analysis shows that smartphone-based intervention may be a promising strategy to increase TPA and steps in children and adolescents. Currently, app intervention may be a more effective strategy among smartphone intervention technologies. To extend the promise of smartphone intervention, the future needs to design comparative trials among different smartphone technologies.

trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42019148261; https://tinyurl.com/y5modsrd.

Indexed as

ExerciseSmartphoneAdolescentAdultChildChinaHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicadolescentschildrenmHealthphysical activitysmartphone

Identifiers

PMID33522980
PMCPMC7884215
OpenAlexW3119535287

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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 Socratic graph.