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- Title
Enhancing nutrition behaviors in children Using Mobile health Applications: A Systematic Review.
- Authors
Anvari, Shima; Sharif, Reihane; Abbasi, Reza; Sadeghi, Monire; Kafashi, Mojtaba
- Abstract
Background: Nutritional behaviors that developed during childhood continue with consequences such as controversy and inadequate dietary diversity, or high responsiveness to food cues, and an increased risk of obesity. Mobile app interventions are a promising way to change nutrition behaviors due to the high level of global penetration of smartphones. Objective: This systematic review study aimed to determine the effectiveness of mobile health applications for improving nutrition behaviors in children. Material and Methods: The review was conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses: the PRISMA statement. We systematically searched Medline (via PubMed) and Scopus for studies published between 2010 and 2020. We included English-language Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) studies that evaluated the effects of mHealth apps for improving nutrition behaviors in children under 18 years of age. The characteristics of these studies and the effects of interventions were extracted. Authors individually screened the titles and abstracts, then full-text of articles to obtain papers that met inclusion criteria. Results: Five of 1034 identified papers met all the inclusion criteria. Outcomes were categorized into three groups (dietary intake, physical activity, and weight management). Effects on dietary intake outcome were equivocal so that just in two studies statistically significantly improved. Most studies (75%) showed no statistically significant effect of app-based interventions on weight loss. There is limited evidence concerning the effects of these interventions on physical activity, so that in one study statistically significantly improved; and in another study, this outcome did not improve significantly. Conclusion: Although mHealth apps have the potential to improve nutrition behaviors, their effects on children is mixed and consequently there is a need for further studies in this area.
- Subjects
CHILD psychology; MOBILE apps; MOBILE health; CHILD nutrition; REGULATION of body weight; RANDOMIZED controlled trials; PHYSICAL activity
- Publication
Journal of Biomedical Physics & Engineering, 2021, Vol 11, p176
- ISSN
2251-7200
- Publication type
Article