Psychiatry - UNC School of Medicine
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Text-messaging for the Treatment of Childhood Overweight
This LINC (Linking Interventions for Children) funded investigation utilizes text message-based self monitoring and automated feedback to treat childhood overweight in the context of the family. Overweight children and a parent input self-monitoring about sugar sweetened beverages, screen time, and activity level into a cell phone and receive immediate tailored automated feedback based on their behavior that day. We are conducting a clinical trial comparing text messaging based feedback with traditional paper and pencil self-monitoring versus usual care for overweight children ages 5-8.
Link to the study website here.
Publications from this study:
1. Shapiro, J.R., Bauer, S., Hamer, R.M., Kordy, H., Ward, D., Bulik, C.M. (in press) Text messaging to increase healthy eating and physical activity in children. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.