Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
J Hum Nutr Diet. 2011 Dec;24(6):616-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2011.01163.x. Epub 2011 Jul 23.
The surge in the incidence of obesity and being overweight demands new options to extend the reach of weight-loss interventions. Mobile phones provide a medium for reaching large numbers of people in a cost-effective manner. The present study aimed to explore the potential for weight-loss interventions to be delivered via mobile phone.
A mixed methods approach was employed. A telephone survey was conducted with 306 randomly selected participants, and 10 focus groups were undertaken with 54 purposively selected participants. The telephone survey comprised questions exploring the nature and acceptability of any potential weight-loss programme that might be delivered via mobile phones. The focus groups were conducted to explore issues of acceptability in more depth than was possible in the survey.
Two-thirds of participants reported support for a mobile phone weight-loss intervention, with greater levels of support amongst younger age groups and rural Māori (the indigenous population in New Zealand). Participants liked the idea of ready access to weight-loss information, and associated feedback and encouragement. The results suggest that interventions would need to include aspects of social support, use tailored and personalised content, and be practical and relevant so that they appeal to consumers. Appropriate methods of providing social support using a mobile phone require further exploration.
Mobile phones may provide a novel but acceptable way to deliver a weight-loss intervention. They have the potential to be automatically personalised and tailored to the needs of the individual, at the same time as being delivered at a population level.
肥胖和超重发病率的上升要求新的选择来扩大减肥干预的范围。手机提供了一种以具有成本效益的方式接触大量人群的媒介。本研究旨在探讨通过手机提供减肥干预的潜力。
采用混合方法。对 306 名随机选择的参与者进行了电话调查，并对 54 名有针对性选择的参与者进行了 10 个焦点小组。电话调查包括探索可能通过手机提供的任何潜在减肥计划的性质和可接受性的问题。焦点小组的目的是比调查更深入地探讨可接受性问题。
三分之二的参与者表示支持通过手机进行减肥干预，在年轻群体和农村毛利人（新西兰的土著人口）中支持率更高。参与者喜欢随时获得减肥信息以及相关反馈和鼓励的想法。结果表明，干预措施需要包括社会支持方面，使用量身定制和个性化的内容，并且实用且相关，以吸引消费者。使用手机提供社会支持的适当方法需要进一步探索。
手机可能是提供减肥干预的一种新颖但可接受的方式。它们有可能自动个性化和针对个人需求进行定制，同时在人群层面上提供。
