Int J Public Health. 2025 Jan 3;69:1607720. doi: 10.3389/ijph.2024.1607720. eCollection 2024.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Physical activity (PA) is crucial for older adults' wellbeing. Digital health interventions (DHIs) are important, however a synthesis aimed at healthy community-dwelling OA is lacking. This study aims to synthesize DHIs effect on PA levels among community-dwelling 60-year-old adults or older.
METHODS: A systematic review was performed. DHIs using eHealth/mHealth tools, apps and text messaging were included. Primary outcomes were daily steps, moderate-to-vigorous PA and sedentary time. Quality was assessed via Cochrane risk-of-bias tools. Study-reported effect, study quality, sample size, study duration and dropout rate were semi-quantitatively synthesized to determine the overall category effect.
RESULTS: 12 studies were included. 75% were low-quality, sample size was 16-18,080, study duration was 3-18 weeks, average dropout rate was 4.2%-46.7%. The synthesis of "motivational reminders" and "dynamic exercise programs" showed an overall positive effect, of "PA self-monitoring" showed mixed results and "exercise digital coaching" showed a non-positive effect.
DISCUSSION: Motivational reminders and dynamic exercise programs proved more effective in increasing PA in older adults than other interventions and should be more embedded in structured public health programs.
PMID:39830161 | PMC:PMC11738617 | DOI:10.3389/ijph.2024.1607720