| Literature DB >> 28961248 |
Giselle Rhaisa do Amaral E Melo1, Fernanda de Carvalho Silva Vargas1, Carolina Martins Dos Santos Chagas1, Natacha Toral1.
Abstract
A cost-effective and interactive way of promoting healthy nutrition behaviors among adolescents is using information and communication technologies (ICTs). We systematically reviewed studies to identify technologies and their main characteristics used for nutritional interventions for adolescents, as well as to evaluate their quality and effectiveness. Our full protocol is available on the PROSPERO website (#CRD42016035882). A search was conducted across five databases for articles describing nutritional interventions that used ICTs designed mainly for healthy adolescents. Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental and observational studies, and full and original papers, all of them published from 2005 to 2015, were included. Study quality was assessed by the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool. Our search yielded 559 titles and abstracts. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Participants were recruited mostly from schools. Study follow-up ranged from two weeks to two years. Four interventions were based on the Social Cognitive Theory. Interventional strategies included computer games, programs, text messages, and interactive CD-ROMs. Nine studies used computer-mediated ICTs. Five studies focused on multiple behaviors simultaneously. Participants were exposed to interventions only once, daily, weekly, or according to a pre-determined number of lessons. Five studies had significant outcomes. Our quality assessment revealed three studies to be weak due to non-representativeness of their samples and usage of non-validated questionnaires. Besides the heterogeneity and poor quality of the analyzed studies, it can be suggested that long-term interventions for adolescents that make use of frequent exposure to technological resources, and that have a theoretical component aimed at a single health behavior change, tend to be more successful.Entities:
Mesh:
Year: 2017 PMID: 28961248 PMCID: PMC5621667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184509
Source DB: PubMed Journal: PLoS One ISSN: 1932-6203 Impact factor: 3.240
Fig 1Search strategy for PubMed.
Fig 2Retrieval and inclusion/exclusion process for articles used in review.
Main characteristics of included studies.
| Ezendam et al., 2012 [ | To prevent weight gain in girls by improving dietary behaviors and physical activity. | Cluster randomized controlled trial | Higher vegetables intake and lower snack and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption in the intervention group. Higher intake of fruit was found only on adolescents with a pre low intake in the intervention group. | |||
| Haerens et al., 2007 [ | To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and effectiveness of a computer-tailored education program created to reduce fat intake of adolescents. | Randomized controlled trial | Decreased dietary fat intake in girls enrolled in technical-vocational schools; and in boys and girls who were in general education who reported reading intervention messages. No intervention effects for total sample. | |||
| Maes et al., 2011 [ | To investigate the feasibility and impact of an Internet-based computer-tailored nutrition intervention. | Quasi-experimental design | No significant changes in fat intake for the intervention group | |||
| Lubans et al., 2012 [ | To evaluate the impact of a school-based obesity prevention program for adolescents. | Cluster randomized controlled trial | No significant changes in | |||
| Rees et al., 2010 [ | To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-generated tailored intervention to increase intakes of brown bread, wholegrain cereal, fruits, and vegetables. | Cluster randomized controlled trial | The tailored intervention leaflet had a significant effect on whole bread intake, but there were no significant effects for other foods. | |||
| Sharma et al., 2015 [ | To evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of a computer game on dietary behaviors, physical activity behaviors, and psychosocial factors. | Quasi-experimental design | The intervention group had lower sugar consumption and improved nutrition and physical activity attitudes post intervention compared to the control group. | |||
| Thompson et al., 2009 [ | To evaluate the effects of a Boy Scout program on fruit juice and low-fat vegetable consumption. | Cluster randomized controlled trial | Significant increases in fruit juice consumption, fruit juice home availability, and low-fat vegetable self-efficacy in the intervention group immediately following the intervention but were not maintained 6 months later. | |||
| Whittemore et al., 2012 [ | To compare the effectiveness of two school-based internet obesity prevention programs. | Cluster randomized controlled trial | Both groups significantly improved health behaviors including self-efficacy, healthy eating, fruit and vegetable intake, moderate and vigorous exercise, and stretching exercises; decreases in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and junk food, and decreased sedentary behavior. | |||
| Baños et al., 2012 [ | To investigate the efficacy for improving nutritional information and evaluate acceptability and playability of an online game. | Quasi-experimental design | Improved nutritional knowledge for both groups. Scores were greater in the intervention group. | |||
| Bech-Larsen & Grønhøj, 2013 [ | To increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables of Danish adolescents as well as evaluate the SMS intervention in terms of participation, goal setting, and performance of adolescents. | Cluster | Increased frequency of fruits and vegetables consumption only for those with a low pre-intervention intake in the intervention group. | |||
| Yang et al., 2015. [ | To improve intake of food groups and nutritional elements using technology based team game. | Quasi-experimental design | Group 2 improved dietary behaviors of most food groups (dairy, meats, proteins, vegetables and fruits), macronutrients (calories and fiber), and micronutrients (calcium, vitamin C and B2). Improvements were greater in Group 2 compared to the other two groups. |
FFQ, Food Frequency Questionnaire; BMI, Body Mass Index; ICTs: information and communication technologies.