Text messages promoting healthy lifestyle and linked with activity monitors stimulate an immediate increase in physical activity among women after gestational diabetes

N Wah Cheung; Aravinda Thiagalingam; Ben J Smith; Julie Redfern; Tony Barry; Louis Mercorelli; Clara K Chow

doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109991

Text messages promoting healthy lifestyle and linked with activity monitors stimulate an immediate increase in physical activity among women after gestational diabetes

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2022 Aug:190:109991. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109991. Epub 2022 Jul 11.

Authors

N Wah Cheung¹, Aravinda Thiagalingam², Ben J Smith³, Julie Redfern⁴, Tony Barry⁵, Louis Mercorelli⁶, Clara K Chow⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diabetes & Endocrinology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Westmead Applied Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: wah.cheung@sydney.edu.au.
² Westmead Applied Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: Aravinda.Thiagalingam@health.nsw.gov.au.
³ School of Public Health, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: ben.smith@sydney.edu.au.
⁴ School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: julie.redfern@sydney.edu.au.
⁵ Department of Cardiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: tonybarry@mac.com.
⁶ Sydney Informatics Hub, University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW 2008, Australia. Electronic address: louis.mercorelli@sydney.edu.au.
⁷ Westmead Applied Research Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; Department of Cardiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. Electronic address: clara.chow@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 35835256
DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109991

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the immediate effect of text messages promoting healthy lifestyle and supporting parenting on physical activity amongst women with recent gestational diabetes (GDM).

Methods: Analysis of data from a pilot randomised controlled trial of a healthy lifestyle program for women with recent GDM. Intervention subjects received text messages providing motivation, reminders, information and feedback as well as an activity monitor. This sub-study examined step count in the 4 h after receipt of a text message, compared to the same time of day on other days among intervention subjects.

Results: Data from 7326 days where step counts were recorded, from 31 women were analysed. The median steps in the 4 h following a text message was 1237 (IQR 18-2240) and it was 1063 (IQR 0-2038) over the same time period on comparison days where there was no message (p < 0.001). The effect was similar whether the messages pertained to physical activity or not. There was no attenuation of the response over 36-38 weeks.

Conclusions: Women with recent GDM increase their step count in the hours following positive and supportive text messages. This suggests that text messaging programs can facilitate healthy lifestyle and diabetes prevention in this population.

Keywords: Behavioural study; Gestational diabetes; Lifestyle; Physical activity; Text messages.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

Diabetes, Gestational*
Exercise / physiology
Female
Healthy Lifestyle
Humans
Motivation
Pregnancy
Text Messaging*