Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques
Abstract Background The number of commercial apps to improve health behaviours in children is growing rapidly. While this provides opportunities for promoting health, the content and quality of apps targeting children and adolescents is largely unexplored. This review systematically evaluated the co...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2017-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-017-0538-3 |
| _version_ | 1818538579919372288 |
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| author | Stephanie Schoeppe Stephanie Alley Amanda L. Rebar Melanie Hayman Nicola A. Bray Wendy Van Lippevelde Jens-Peter Gnam Philip Bachert Artur Direito Corneel Vandelanotte |
| author_facet | Stephanie Schoeppe Stephanie Alley Amanda L. Rebar Melanie Hayman Nicola A. Bray Wendy Van Lippevelde Jens-Peter Gnam Philip Bachert Artur Direito Corneel Vandelanotte |
| author_sort | Stephanie Schoeppe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The number of commercial apps to improve health behaviours in children is growing rapidly. While this provides opportunities for promoting health, the content and quality of apps targeting children and adolescents is largely unexplored. This review systematically evaluated the content and quality of apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents, and examined relationships of app quality ratings with number of app features and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used. Methods Systematic literature searches were conducted in iTunes and Google Play stores between May–November 2016. Apps were included if they targeted children or adolescents, focused on improving diet, physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour, had a user rating of at least 4+ based on at least 20 ratings, and were available in English. App inclusion, downloading and user-testing for quality assessment and content analysis were conducted independently by two reviewers. Spearman correlations were used to examine relationships between app quality, and number of technical app features and BCTs included. Results Twenty-five apps were included targeting diet (n = 12), physical activity (n = 18) and sedentary behaviour (n = 7). On a 5-point Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), overall app quality was moderate (total MARS score: 3.6). Functionality was the highest scoring domain (mean: 4.1, SD: 0.6), followed by aesthetics (mean: 3.8, SD: 0.8), and lower scoring for engagement (mean: 3.6, SD: 0.7) and information quality (mean: 2.8, SD: 0.8). On average, 6 BCTs were identified per app (range: 1–14); the most frequently used BCTs were providing ‘instructions’ (n = 19), ‘general encouragement’ (n = 18), ‘contingent rewards’ (n = 17), and ‘feedback on performance’ (n = 13). App quality ratings correlated positively with numbers of technical app features (rho = 0.42, p < 0.05) and BCTs included (rho = 0.54, p < 0.01). Conclusions Popular commercial apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents had moderate quality overall, scored higher in terms of functionality. Most apps incorporated some BCTs and higher quality apps included more app features and BCTs. Future app development should identify factors that promote users’ app engagement, be tailored to specific population groups, and be informed by health behaviour theories. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:30:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9212559cb414edf8349efa150db0058 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T21:30:47Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9212559cb414edf8349efa150db00582022-12-22T00:50:11ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682017-06-0114111010.1186/s12966-017-0538-3Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniquesStephanie Schoeppe0Stephanie Alley1Amanda L. Rebar2Melanie Hayman3Nicola A. Bray4Wendy Van Lippevelde5Jens-Peter Gnam6Philip Bachert7Artur Direito8Corneel Vandelanotte9School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversitySchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversitySchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversitySchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversitySchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversityDepartment of Public Health, Ghent UniversityKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Sports und Sports ScienceKarlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Sports und Sports ScienceThe University of Auckland, National Institute for Health InnovationSchool of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland UniversityAbstract Background The number of commercial apps to improve health behaviours in children is growing rapidly. While this provides opportunities for promoting health, the content and quality of apps targeting children and adolescents is largely unexplored. This review systematically evaluated the content and quality of apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents, and examined relationships of app quality ratings with number of app features and behaviour change techniques (BCTs) used. Methods Systematic literature searches were conducted in iTunes and Google Play stores between May–November 2016. Apps were included if they targeted children or adolescents, focused on improving diet, physical activity and/or sedentary behaviour, had a user rating of at least 4+ based on at least 20 ratings, and were available in English. App inclusion, downloading and user-testing for quality assessment and content analysis were conducted independently by two reviewers. Spearman correlations were used to examine relationships between app quality, and number of technical app features and BCTs included. Results Twenty-five apps were included targeting diet (n = 12), physical activity (n = 18) and sedentary behaviour (n = 7). On a 5-point Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS), overall app quality was moderate (total MARS score: 3.6). Functionality was the highest scoring domain (mean: 4.1, SD: 0.6), followed by aesthetics (mean: 3.8, SD: 0.8), and lower scoring for engagement (mean: 3.6, SD: 0.7) and information quality (mean: 2.8, SD: 0.8). On average, 6 BCTs were identified per app (range: 1–14); the most frequently used BCTs were providing ‘instructions’ (n = 19), ‘general encouragement’ (n = 18), ‘contingent rewards’ (n = 17), and ‘feedback on performance’ (n = 13). App quality ratings correlated positively with numbers of technical app features (rho = 0.42, p < 0.05) and BCTs included (rho = 0.54, p < 0.01). Conclusions Popular commercial apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents had moderate quality overall, scored higher in terms of functionality. Most apps incorporated some BCTs and higher quality apps included more app features and BCTs. Future app development should identify factors that promote users’ app engagement, be tailored to specific population groups, and be informed by health behaviour theories.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-017-0538-3Mobile health (mHealth)SmartphoneApplicationsMARSBehaviour change techniquesDiet |
| spellingShingle | Stephanie Schoeppe Stephanie Alley Amanda L. Rebar Melanie Hayman Nicola A. Bray Wendy Van Lippevelde Jens-Peter Gnam Philip Bachert Artur Direito Corneel Vandelanotte Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Mobile health (mHealth) Smartphone Applications MARS Behaviour change techniques Diet |
| title | Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques |
| title_full | Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques |
| title_fullStr | Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques |
| title_full_unstemmed | Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques |
| title_short | Apps to improve diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents: a review of quality, features and behaviour change techniques |
| title_sort | apps to improve diet physical activity and sedentary behaviour in children and adolescents a review of quality features and behaviour change techniques |
| topic | Mobile health (mHealth) Smartphone Applications MARS Behaviour change techniques Diet |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12966-017-0538-3 |
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