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
  The current SMS intervention was a useful tool to monitor and promote health behaviors in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, James Cook University, Singapore; Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Fassnacht
authors.affiliation: Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra School of Psychology, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Kathina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cátia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sónia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: Psychotherapy and Psychopathology Research Unit, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: pmachado@psi.uminho.pt.
authors.forename: Paulo P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011174:Portugal; D012574:Schools; D060145:Text Messaging; D014675:Vegetables
keywords: Health behavior; eating behavior; exercise; text messaging