TY - JOUR
T1 - Development and pilot evaluation of a mobile app on parent-child exercises to improve physical activity and psychosocial outcomes of Hong Kong Chinese children
AU - Wong, Rosa Sze Man
AU - Yu, Esther Yee Tak
AU - Wong, Thomson Wai Lung
AU - Fung, Colman Siu Cheung
AU - Choi, Cynthia Sin Yi
AU - Or, Calvin Ka Lun
AU - Liu, Kiki Sze Nga
AU - Wong, Carlos King Ho
AU - Ip, Patrick
AU - Lam, Cindy Lo Kuen
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a philanthropy foundation, the Kerry Group Kuok Foundation. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Acknowledgements
Funding Information:
RSMW, CSCF and CLKL conceived the study concept. TWLW, EYTY and CSYC were involved in selection of exercises and production of demo clips. CKLO made substantial contributions to the app development. RSMW and KSNL were responsible for text messaging and data collection. RSMW performed the data analysis and CKHW provided input regarding data processing and analysis. PI provided advice on interpretation of data regarding child behavior and physical activity. CLKL is principal investigator of this study and the funding holder of the community family support program for low-income families in Hong Kong funded by a philanthropic foundation in Hong Kong (Kerry Group Kuok Foundation (Hong Kong) Limited). RSMW, CSCF, EYTY, KSNL, CKHW and CLKL coordinated the project. RSMW, CSCF and CLKL initiated the writing of this paper. RSMW and EYTY finished the initial version of this paper. All authors revised and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/12/1
Y1 - 2020/12/1
N2 - Background: Parent-child exercises involve children and parents to do workout together and have positive effects on physical and mental health. We developed a mobile app on parent-child exercises called Family Move, which combines coaching videos with game features such as points and level system to enhance the health and wellbeing of both children and parents through parent-child exercises. This pilot pre-post study investigated whether the Family Move app-based intervention had a positive effect on children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL), psychosocial wellbeing, and physical activity (PA) level. Methods: We recruited 67 parent-child pairs. During the 8-week intervention, these pairs were invited to perform parent-child exercises using the Family Move app. Points were automatically added to the user account after viewing a coaching video. In-game ranking was available to enhance user engagement. Parent proxy-report questionnaires on children’s HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA were administered at baseline and 1- and 6-month follow-up. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate post-intervention changes in child outcomes (HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine these changes as a function of in-game ranking. Results: 52 (78%) viewed at least one coaching video in the Family Move app. Children’s PA level significantly increased at 1-month (d = 0.32, p = 0.030) and 6-month (d = 0.30, p = 0.042) follow-up, whereas their psychosocial problems declined at 6-month follow-up (d = 0.35, p = 0.005). Higher in-game ranking was significantly associated with fewer psychosocial problems at 1-month follow-up (β = − 0.15, p = 0.030). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Family Move app could be a possible intervention to increase children’s PA level and psychosocial wellbeing through parent-child exercise. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03279354, registered September 11, 2017 (Prospectively registered).
AB - Background: Parent-child exercises involve children and parents to do workout together and have positive effects on physical and mental health. We developed a mobile app on parent-child exercises called Family Move, which combines coaching videos with game features such as points and level system to enhance the health and wellbeing of both children and parents through parent-child exercises. This pilot pre-post study investigated whether the Family Move app-based intervention had a positive effect on children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL), psychosocial wellbeing, and physical activity (PA) level. Methods: We recruited 67 parent-child pairs. During the 8-week intervention, these pairs were invited to perform parent-child exercises using the Family Move app. Points were automatically added to the user account after viewing a coaching video. In-game ranking was available to enhance user engagement. Parent proxy-report questionnaires on children’s HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA were administered at baseline and 1- and 6-month follow-up. Paired samples t-tests were conducted to evaluate post-intervention changes in child outcomes (HRQOL, psychosocial wellbeing, and PA). Multiple linear regressions were used to examine these changes as a function of in-game ranking. Results: 52 (78%) viewed at least one coaching video in the Family Move app. Children’s PA level significantly increased at 1-month (d = 0.32, p = 0.030) and 6-month (d = 0.30, p = 0.042) follow-up, whereas their psychosocial problems declined at 6-month follow-up (d = 0.35, p = 0.005). Higher in-game ranking was significantly associated with fewer psychosocial problems at 1-month follow-up (β = − 0.15, p = 0.030). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the Family Move app could be a possible intervention to increase children’s PA level and psychosocial wellbeing through parent-child exercise. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03279354, registered September 11, 2017 (Prospectively registered).
KW - Behavior
KW - Exercise
KW - Health-related quality of life
KW - Mhealth interventions
KW - Parent-child interaction
KW - Physical activity
KW - Smartphone application
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092649053&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12889-020-09655-9
DO - 10.1186/s12889-020-09655-9
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 33054753
AN - SCOPUS:85092649053
SN - 1471-2458
VL - 20
JO - BMC Public Health
JF - BMC Public Health
IS - 1
M1 - 1544
ER -