Use of text messaging for monitoring sugar-sweetened beverages, physical activity, and screen time in children: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine acceptability, attrition, adherence, and preliminary efficacy of mobile phone short message service (SMS; text messaging) for monitoring healthful behaviors in children.


METHODS
All randomized children received a brief psychoeducational intervention. They then either monitored target behaviors via SMS with feedback or via paper diaries (PD) or participated in a no-monitoring control (C) for 8 weeks.


METHODS
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.


METHODS
Fifty-eight children (age 5-13) and parents participated; 31 completed (SMS: 13/18, PD: 7/18, C: 11/22).


METHODS
Children and parents participated in a total of 3 group education sessions (1 session weekly for 3 weeks) to encourage increasing physical activity and decreasing screen time and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.


METHODS
Treatment acceptability, attrition, and adherence to self-monitoring.


METHODS
Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used to analyze differences across time and group.


RESULTS
Children in SMS had somewhat lower attrition (28%) than both PD (61%) and C (50%), and significantly greater adherence to self-monitoring than PD (43% vs 19%, P < .02).


CONCLUSIONS
Short message service may be a useful tool for self-monitoring healthful behaviors in children, although the efficacy of this approach needs further study. Implications suggest that novel technologies may play a role in improving health.
Shapiro
Jennifer R
JR
Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. jshapiro@med.unc.edu
Bauer
Stephanie
S
Hamer
Robert M
RM
Kordy
Hans
H
Ward
Dianne
D
Bulik
Cynthia M
CM
D000293:Adolescent; D001628:Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D053198:Child Nutrition Sciences / Q000193:education*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D003625:Data Collection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013689:Telephone; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*