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Fichtner UA, Tinsel I, Sehlbrede M, Maiwald P, Bischoff M, Metzner G, Schlett C, Brame J, Kohl J, König D, Bredenkamp R, Wurst R, Farin-Glattacker E. Effects of a digital intervention on physical activity in adults: A randomized controlled trial in a large-scale sample. Internet Interv 2024; 37:100762. [PMID: 39211309 PMCID: PMC11359763 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2024.100762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Physical inactivity is associated with health risks, contributing to various diseases and all-cause mortality. Despite recommendations for regular physical activity (PA), many adults remain inactive, influenced by socioeconomic and environmental factors. Digital interventions, particularly web-based PA programs, offer promising possibilities to promote PA across populations. These programs vary in their effectiveness, reflecting differences in design, user engagement, and behavior change techniques employed. Objective This study evaluates the effectiveness of the 12-week multimodal web-based TKFitnessCoach. The PA online program is part of the TK-HealthCoach. This study investigates the program's impact on self-reported PA levels, goal attainment, healthrelated quality of life, body weight, and eating behavior, comparing an interactive personalized web-based intervention and non-interactive web-based health information. Methods In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), participants were allocated to either the intervention group (IG), receiving access to the interactive TK-FitnessCoach, or the control group (CG) that was provided a static website with evidence-based information on PA. The study targeted a German-speaking adult population interested in improving health behavior. Data was assessed at T0 (beginning of the study), T1 (postintervention), T2, 6 months, and T3, 12 months follow-ups, focusing on self-reported PA at T3 and on various secondary outcomes. Results We achieved equally distributed sociodemographics in both the IG and the CG with a mean age of 42.8 (IG), resp. 43.1 years (CG), and female participants of 76.1 % (IG), resp. 74.7 % (CG). PA at baseline was 277.9 min/week in the IG and 273.3 min/week in the CG. Both, the IG (n = 1153 in the Intention-to-treat (ITT) dataset) and CG (n = 1177 in the ITT dataset) exhibited significant increases in PA over time (IG(T3-T0) = 72.92 min/week; CG(T3-T0) = 74.12 min/week).However, the study did not find significant differences in the effectiveness of the interactive TK-FitnessCoach compared to the non-interactive control in terms of improving PA and related health outcomes. The intensity of using the TK-FitnessCoach was not associated with PA. Conclusions Both programs were effective in promoting PA among adults, with no significant differences observed between the two RCT groups. This highlights the potential of digital interventions in addressing physical inactivity, suggesting that the effectiveness of such programs may not solely depend on their interactivity but also on the quality and relevance of the information provided. Further research is needed to explore optimization strategies for such interventions, especially for persons with low PA, including user engagement, behavior change techniques, and the integration of objective PA tracking methods. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00020249; https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00020249.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urs Alexander Fichtner
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Iris Tinsel
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Sehlbrede
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Phillip Maiwald
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Martina Bischoff
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Gloria Metzner
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christian Schlett
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Judith Brame
- Department of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, 79117 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Kohl
- Department of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, 79117 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Daniel König
- Department of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, 79117 Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Sport Science, Institute for Nutrition, Exercise and Health, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Institute for Nutrition, Exercise and Health, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Bredenkamp
- Universitäres Cancer Center Hamburg, Hubertus Wald Tumorzentrum, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ramona Wurst
- Department of Sport and Sport Science, University of Freiburg, 79117 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Erik Farin-Glattacker
- Section of Health Care Research and Rehabilitation Research, Institute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
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Kupila SKE, Joki A, Suojanen LU, Pietiläinen KH. The Effectiveness of eHealth Interventions for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults with Overweight or Obesity: A Systematic Review of Systematic Reviews. Curr Obes Rep 2023; 12:371-394. [PMID: 37354334 PMCID: PMC10482795 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-023-00515-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of eHealth interventions for weight loss and weight loss maintenance among adults with overweight or obesity through a systematic review of systematic reviews. RECENT FINDINGS: This study included 26 systematic reviews, covering a total of 338 original studies, published between 2018 and 2023. The review indicates that eHealth interventions are more effective than control interventions or no care and comparable to face-to-face interventions. The effect sizes remain relatively small when comparing eHealth interventions to any control conditions, with mean differences of weight loss results from - 0.12 kg (95% CI - 0.64 to 0.41 kg) in a review comparing eHealth interventions to face-to-face care to - 4.32 kg (- 5.08 kg to - 3.57 kg) in a review comparing eHealth interventions to no care. The methodological quality of the included studies varies considerably. However, it can be concluded that interventions with human contact work better than those that are fully automated. In conclusion, this systematic review of systematic reviews provides an updated understanding of the development of digital interventions in recent years and their effectiveness for weight loss and weight loss maintenance among adults with overweight or obesity. The findings suggest that eHealth interventions can be a valuable tool for delivering obesity care to more patients economically. Further research is needed to determine which specific types of eHealth interventions are most effective and how to best integrate them into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakris K E Kupila
- Obesity Research Unit, Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Anu Joki
- HealthyWeightHub, Endocrinology, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura-U Suojanen
- HealthyWeightHub, Endocrinology, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kirsi H Pietiläinen
- Obesity Research Unit, Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- HealthyWeightHub, Endocrinology, Abdominal Center, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Noukpo SI, Triccas LT, Bonnechère B, Adoukonou T, Feys P, Kossi O. Physical Activity Level, Barriers, and Facilitators for Exercise Engagement for Chronic Community-Dwelling Stroke Survivors in Low-Income Settings: A Cross-Sectional Study in Benin. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1784. [PMID: 36767151 PMCID: PMC9914131 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
After a stroke incident, physical inactivity is common. People with stroke may perceive several barriers to performing physical activity (PA). This study aimed to document the PA level and understand the barriers and facilitators to engaging in PA for community-dwelling stroke survivors in Benin, a lower middle-income country. A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals in Benin. Levels of PA were recorded by means of the Benin version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire long form (IPAQ-LF-Benin), which is validated for stroke survivors in Benin. The perceived exercise facilitators and barriers were assessed by the Stroke Exercise Preference Inventory-13 (SEPI-13). A descriptive analysis and associations were performed with a Confidence Interval of 95% and <0.05 level of significance. A total of 87 participants (52 men, mean age of 53 ± 10 years, mean time after a stroke of 11 (IQR: 15) months and an average of 264.5 ± 178.9 m as distance on the 6 min walking test (6MWT) were included. Overall, stroke survivors in Benin reached a total PA of 985.5 (IQR: 2520) metabolic equivalent (METs)-minutes per week and were least active at work, domestic, and leisure domains with 0 MET-minutes per week. The overview of PA level showed that 52.9% of participants performed low PA intensity. However, 41.4% performed moderate PA or walking per day for at least five days per week. Important perceived barriers were lack of information (45.3%), hard-to-start exercise (39.5%), and travelling to places to exercise (29.9%). The preference for exercise was with family or friends, outdoors, for relaxation or enjoyment (90.2%), and receiving feedback (78.3%). Several socio-demographic, clinical, and community factors were significantly associated with moderate or intense PA (p < 0.05) in stroke survivors in this study. Our findings show that the PA level among chronic stroke survivors in Benin is overall too low relative to their walking capacity. Cultural factors in terms of the overprotection of the patients by their entourage and/or the low health literacy of populations to understand the effect of PA on their health may play a role. There is a need for new approaches that consider the individual barriers and facilitators to exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sènadé Inès Noukpo
- Unit of Neurology and NeuroRehabilitation, University Hospital of Parakou, Parakou 01 BP 02, Benin
- REVAL, Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Lisa Tedesco Triccas
- REVAL, Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Bruno Bonnechère
- REVAL, Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- Technology-Supported and Data-Driven Rehabilitation, Data Science Institute, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Thierry Adoukonou
- Unit of Neurology and NeuroRehabilitation, University Hospital of Parakou, Parakou 01 BP 02, Benin
- ENATSE, National School of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Parakou, Parakou 03 BP 10, Benin
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Parakou, Parakou 03 BP 10, Benin
| | - Peter Feys
- REVAL, Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Oyéné Kossi
- Unit of Neurology and NeuroRehabilitation, University Hospital of Parakou, Parakou 01 BP 02, Benin
- REVAL, Rehabilitation Research Center, Hasselt University, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
- ENATSE, National School of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Parakou, Parakou 03 BP 10, Benin
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Lahtio H, Heinonen A, Paajanen T, Sjögren T. The added value of remote technology in cardiac rehabilitation on physical function, anthropometrics, and quality of life: a cluster randomized controlled trial (Preprint). J Med Internet Res 2022; 25:e42455. [PMID: 37043264 PMCID: PMC10134015 DOI: 10.2196/42455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause most deaths globally and can reduce quality of life (QoL) of rehabilitees with cardiac disease. The risk factors of CVDs are physical inactivity and increased BMI. With physical activity, it is possible to prevent CVDs, improve QoL, and help maintain a healthy body mass. Current literature shows the possibilities of digitalization and advanced technology in supporting independent self-rehabilitation. However, the interpretation of the results is complicated owing to the studies' high heterogeneity. In addition, the added value of this technology has not been studied well, especially in cardiac rehabilitation. OBJECTIVE We aimed to examine the effectiveness of added remote technology in cardiac rehabilitation on physical function, anthropometrics, and QoL in rehabilitees with CVD compared with conventional rehabilitation. METHODS Rehabilitees were cluster randomized into 3 remote technology intervention groups (n=29) and 3 reference groups (n=30). The reference group received conventional cardiac rehabilitation, and the remote technology intervention group received conventional cardiac rehabilitation with added remote technology, namely, the Movendos mCoach app and Fitbit charge accelerometer. The 12 months of rehabilitation consisted of three 5-day in-rehabilitation periods in the rehabilitation center. Between these periods were two 6-month self-rehabilitation periods. Outcome measurements included the 6-minute walk test, body mass, BMI, waist circumference, and World Health Organization QoL-BREF questionnaire at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Between-group differences were assessed using 2-tailed t tests and Mann-Whitney U test. Within-group differences were analyzed using a paired samples t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS Overall, 59 rehabilitees aged 41 to 66 years (mean age 60, SD 6 years; n=48, 81% men) were included in the study. Decrement in waist circumference (6 months: 1.6 cm; P=.04; 12 months: 3 cm; P<.001) and increment in self-assessed QoL were greater (environmental factors: 0.5; P=.02) in the remote technology intervention group than the reference group. Both groups achieved statistically significant improvements in the 6-minute walk test in both time frames (P=.01-.03). Additionally, the remote technology intervention group achieved statistically significant changes in the environmental domain at 0-6 months (P=.03) and waist circumference at both time frames (P=.01), and reference group achieve statistically significant changes in waist circumference at 0-6 months (P=.02). CONCLUSIONS Remote cardiac rehabilitation added value to conventional cardiac rehabilitation in terms of waist circumference and QoL. The results were clinically small, but the findings suggest that adding remote technology to cardiac rehabilitation may increase beneficial health outcomes. There was some level of systematic error during rehabilitation intervention, and the sample size was relatively small. Therefore, care must be taken when generalizing the study results beyond the target population. To confirm assumptions of the added value of remote technology in rehabilitation interventions, more studies involving different rehabilitees with cardiac disease are required. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN61225589; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN61225589.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Lahtio
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- LAB University of Applied Sciences, Lahti, Finland
| | - Ari Heinonen
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Teemu Paajanen
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuulikki Sjögren
- Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
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