Impact of digital technologies for communicating messages on weight loss maintenance: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Research into the use of digital technology for weight loss maintenance (intentionally losing at least 10% of initial body weight and actively maintaining it) is limited. The aim of this article was to systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the use of digital technologies for communicating on weight loss maintenance to determine its' effectiveness, and identify gaps and areas for further research. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted by searching electronic databases to locate publications dated between 2006 and February 2018. Criteria were applied, and RCTs using digital technologies for weight loss maintenance were selected. RESULTS: Seven RCTs were selected from a total of 6541 hits after de-duplication and criteria applied. Three trials used text messaging, one used e-mail, one used a web-based system and two compared such a system with face-to-face contact. From the seven RCTs, one included children (n = 141) and reported no difference in BMI Standard Deviation between groups. From the seven trials, four reported that technology is effective for significantly aiding weight loss maintenance compared with control (no contact) or face-to face-contact in the short term (between 3 and 24 months). CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that digital technologies have the potential to be effective communication tools for significantly aiding weight loss maintenance, especially in the short term (from 3 to 24 months). Further research is required into the long-term effectiveness of contemporary technologies.

Physical activity counseling intervention at a federally qualified health center: improves autonomy-supportiveness, but not patients' perceived competence.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of a pilot intervention to promote clinician-patient communication about physical activity on patient ratings of their perceived competence for physical activity and their clinicians' autonomy-supportiveness. METHODS: Family medicine clinicians (n=13) at two urban community health centers were randomized to early or delayed (8 months later) communication training groups. The goal of the training was to teach the 5As (Ask, Advise, Agree, Assist, Arrange) for physical activity counseling. Outcome measures were changes in patient perceptions of autonomy support (modified Health Care Climate Questionnaire, mHCCQ) and perceived competence (Perceived Competence Scale for physical activity, PCS) completed via surveys at baseline, post-intervention and six-month follow-up. RESULTS: Patients (n=326) were mostly female (70%) and low income. Using a generalized estimating equations model (GEE) with patients nested within clinician, patient perceived autonomy support increased at post-intervention compared to baseline (mean HCCQ scores 3.68-4.06, p=0.03). There was no significant change in patient perceived competence for physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: A clinician-directed intervention increased patient perceptions of clinician autonomy support but not patient perceived competence for physical activity. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Clinicians working with underserved populations can be taught to improve their autonomy supportiveness, according to patient assessments of their clinicians.

A new dimension of health care: systematic review of the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication.

BACKGROUND: There is currently a lack of information about the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication among the general public, patients, and health professionals from primary research. OBJECTIVE: To review the current published literature to identify the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication among the general public, patients, and health professionals, and identify current gaps in the literature to provide recommendations for future health communication research. METHODS: This paper is a review using a systematic approach. A systematic search of the literature was conducted using nine electronic databases and manual searches to locate peer-reviewed studies published between January 2002 and February 2012. RESULTS: The search identified 98 original research studies that included the uses, benefits, and/or limitations of social media for health communication among the general public, patients, and health professionals. The methodological quality of the studies assessed using the Downs and Black instrument was low; this was mainly due to the fact that the vast majority of the studies in this review included limited methodologies and was mainly exploratory and descriptive in nature. Seven main uses of social media for health communication were identified, including focusing on increasing interactions with others, and facilitating, sharing, and obtaining health messages. The six key overarching benefits were identified as (1) increased interactions with others, (2) more available, shared, and tailored information, (3) increased accessibility and widening access to health information, (4) peer/social/emotional support, (5) public health surveillance, and (6) potential to influence health policy. Twelve limitations were identified, primarily consisting of quality concerns and lack of reliability, confidentiality, and privacy. CONCLUSIONS: Social media brings a new dimension to health care as it offers a medium to be used by the public, patients, and health professionals to communicate about health issues with the possibility of potentially improving health outcomes. Social media is a powerful tool, which offers collaboration between users and is a social interaction mechanism for a range of individuals. Although there are several benefits to the use of social media for health communication, the information exchanged needs to be monitored for quality and reliability, and the users' confidentiality and privacy need to be maintained. Eight gaps in the literature and key recommendations for future health communication research were provided. Examples of these recommendations include the need to determine the relative effectiveness of different types of social media for health communication using randomized control trials and to explore potential mechanisms for monitoring and enhancing the quality and reliability of health communication using social media. Further robust and comprehensive evaluation and review, using a range of methodologies, are required to establish whether social media improves health communication practice both in the short and long terms.

A new dimension of health care: systematic review of the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication

There is currently a lack of information about the uses, benefits, and limitations of social media for health communication among the general public, patients, and health professionals from primary research.

The level of carbonation of a sugar-sweetened beverage preload affects satiety and short-term energy and food intakes.

The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with increased incidence of overweight and obesity, and a factor underlying this putative link could be the relatively low levels of satiety that may be induced by these beverages. Although many sugar-sweetened beverages are carbonated, little attention has been given to the potential effects of level of carbonation on satiety and subsequent intakes. We hypothesized that increasing the level of carbonation in a sugar-sweetened beverage would increase satiety and decrease intakes in the short term. Using a randomized, within-subject cross-over design, thirty non-obese subjects (fifteen women, fifteen men) participated on three occasions, 1 week apart. Following a standard breakfast, subjects consumed a beverage preload 10 min before consuming a lunch ad libitum. Preloads were the same sugar-sweetened beverage (400 ml, 639 kJ) with three levels of carbonation, which were low (1.7 volumes), medium (2.5 volumes) and high (3.7 volumes). Satiety was assessed using visual analogue scales and intakes were measured at the lunch and for the rest of the day. Compared with the beverage with low carbonation, consumption of the beverages with medium and high carbonation led to significantly (P < 0.05) higher satiety until lunch, when intakes of food and energy were significantly (P < 0.05) lower. There were no significant effects on satiety following lunch or on intakes for the rest of the day. This short-term study suggests that the level of carbonation may need to be taken into account when assessing potential effects of beverages on satiety and intake.