Abstract
Introduction:
Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and is a complex health problem with many biological, environmental, and psychosocial causative factors. While there are many factors which must be addressed to combat the prevalence of obesity, increasing physical activity is an important modifiable behavior. To determine if text messaging can be used as a communication tool to promote the adherence to daily physical activity guidelines in adults, a literature review was conducted.
Methods:
Five databases were searched using the search terms of text messaging*, and MeSH subheadings of cellular phones, health promotion, and health behaviors. Databases were searched from the year 1950 to present, although this topic is more relevant to this century. The literature search produced 37 articles from Medline, 68 articles from CINAHL, 8 from Cochrane, and 42 from PubMed databases. Titles were then reviewed to screen out duplicates and to verify topic relevancy. An abstract review was then completed, followed by an article review of eleven articles. After reviewing the eleven articles, five were excluded, leaving a final total of four relevant articles.
Conclusion:
After reviewing the available evidence, text messaging is an effective tool when coupled with additional strategies to increase physical activity in healthy adults and its use is highly recommended by a limited number of participants in these initial studies. However, further research of the important innovative use of text messaging for the use of promoting daily physical activity is needed to substantiate these early findings with larger, diverse samples.
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