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Promoting physical activity through hand-held computer technology.

Abby C King1, David K Ahn, Brian M Oliveira

  • 1Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305-5705, USA. king@stanford.edu

American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|January 19, 2008
PubMed
Summary
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Personal digital assistants (PDAs) effectively increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in older adults over 8 weeks. This technology shows promise for enhancing activity levels in underactive populations.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Health Informatics
  • Exercise Science

Background:

  • Interactive communication technologies can enhance population-wide physical activity.
  • Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of hand-held computers for increasing physical activity.
  • This study addresses the need to assess technology's role in promoting exercise.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of personal digital assistants (PDAs) for increasing physical activity.
  • To compare PDA intervention with standard educational materials in older adults.
  • To assess changes in moderate-intensity or greater (MOD+) physical activity over 8 weeks.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized, controlled 8-week experiment was conducted.
  • 37 healthy, underactive adults aged 50+ participated.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Intervention group received a PDA with feedback and goal setting; control group received written materials.

    • Main Results:

    • PDA intervention significantly increased estimated caloric expenditure and MOD+ physical activity.
    • Participants in the intervention group showed greater improvements compared to controls (p<0.04).
    • High satisfaction was reported by participants, even those new to PDAs.

    Conclusions:

    • Hand-held computers (PDAs) can be effective tools for boosting physical activity.
    • This technology demonstrates potential for initial increases in activity among underactive older adults.
    • Findings support the use of digital tools in public health interventions for physical activity.