American journal of preventive medicine
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Weight management is an effective strategy for controlling chronic disease and maintaining physical health, and research on this topic has risen dramatically over the past four decades. The present systematic literature review aimed to identify existing evidence on the efficacy of mobile health technology in facilitating weight management behaviors, such as healthy food consumption and physical activity. ⋯ Mobile health apps are widely considered as satisfactory, easy to use, and helpful in the pursuit of weight loss goals by patients. The potential of mobile health apps in facilitating weight loss lies in their ability to increase treatment adherence through strategies such as self-monitoring. These findings indicate that satisfactory treatment adherence and consequent weight loss and maintenance are achieved in the presence of high levels of engagement with a mobile health app. The research quality assessment of RCTs reveals a great need for following international standards both when conducting and reporting research.
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a food assistance program that helps Americans afford a healthy diet. However, its influence on children's weight status is unclear. This review examined the evidence of the relationship between SNAP participation and child weight. ⋯ SNAP participation may help boys maintain a healthy body weight but can be a contributing factor in being overweight or obese in girls who are long-term participants, or who are already overweight. Food security and participation in multiple food assistance programs may be important modifiers. These findings are relevant to policymakers who are considering reducing SNAP funding or restructuring the program. Further research that utilizes strong designs is needed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Smoke-Free Moms: Financial Rewards for Smoking Cessation by Low-Income Rural Pregnant Women.
Maternal smoking places the child at risk during pregnancy and postpartum. Most women who quit smoking do so early when they first learn of pregnancy. Few low-income women quit once they enter prenatal care. The purpose of this study is to test in a clinical prenatal care setting the effectiveness of the Smoke-Free Moms intervention, which provides pregnant women a series of financial incentives for smoking cessation. ⋯ Financial incentives with existing smoking-cessation counseling by staff in low-income clinical prenatal programs led to cessation that continued during the postpartum period. Further study in larger populations is indicated.
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The association between peer crowd identification and substance use is well documented among adolescents, but less is known about substance use among young adult peer crowds. ⋯ Peer crowd identification is associated with substance use among young adults. These findings can help identify target populations for prevention and cessation interventions and inform intervention design and delivery.