Promoting healthy lifestyles through physical fitness mobile applications among student-athletes

BackgroundPhysical inactivity is a growing public health concern. Use of mobile applications (apps) may be a powerful tool to encourage physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. For instance, apps may be used in the preparation of a running event. However, there is little evidence for the relationship between app use and change in physical activity and health in recreational runners. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the use of apps and changes in physical activity, health and lifestyle behaviour, and self-image of short and long distance runners.MethodsA cross sectional study was designed. A random selection of 15,000 runners (of 54,000 participants) of a 16 and 6.4 km recreational run (Dam tot Damloop) in the Netherlands was invited to participate in an online survey two days after the run. Anthropometrics, app use, activity level, preparation for running event, running physical activity (RPA), health and lifestyle, and self-image were addressed. A chi-squared test was conducted to analyse differences between app users and non-app users in baseline characteristics as well as in RPA, healthy lifestyle and perceived health. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if app use could predict RPA, perceived health and lifestyle, and self-image.ResultsOf the 15,000 invited runners, 28 % responded. For both distances, app use was positively related to RPA and feeling healthier (p < 0.05). Also, app use was positively related to feeling better about themselves, feeling like an athlete, motivating others to participate in running, and losing weight (p < 0.01). Furthermore, for 16 km runners app use was positively related to eating healthier, feeling more energetic and reporting a higher chance to maintain sport behaviour (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThese results suggest that use of mobile apps has a beneficial role in the preparation of a running event, as it promotes health and physical activity. Further research is now needed to determine a causal relationship between app use and physical and health related behaviour.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-2165-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

“Good health and well-being” constitutes one of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. To reach this goal, information systems such as mobile fitness applications can play a substantial role in changing behaviors towards a more healthy lifestyle. For such a change, the continued usage of mobile fitness applications is a necessary prerequisite, exceeding merely installing and short-term usage of such apps. While research on the initial adoption is salient, considering factors that enable or harm the long-term usage of these systems is relatively rare and dispersed. Therefore, we aim to identify and structure antecedents and outcomes of continued usage of mobile fitness applications using a comprehensive systematic literature review. We searched six databases for relevant articles, identifying a total of 54 factors related to mobile fitness applications’ continued usage and inductively systematized them. Our study systematically reviews the antecedents and outcomes of mobile fitness applications’ continued usage, offering both theoretical insights and practical recommendations. Theoretically, we integrate insights from behavioral technology adoption models, motivation theories, and social influence perspectives to develop a holistic framework for continued mobile fitness applications’ usage. Practically, we provide actionable strategies for app developers, public health professionals, and policymakers to enhance user retention, optimize mobile fitness applications’ design, and promote long-term digital health interventions. By bridging theoretical perspectives with real-world applications, our study underscores the role of mobile fitness applications in shaping sustainable health behaviors and advancing digital health solutions.

PurposeDue to the popularity of mobile devices and the development of artificial intelligence (AI), AI-powered mobile fitness applications (MFAs) have entered people's daily lives. However, the extant literature lacks empirical investigations that explore users' continuance usage intentions regarding AI-powered MFAs. To fill this research gap, this paper employs goal-setting theory to establish a research model for exploring how AI-enabled features (i.e. intelligence and anthropomorphism) affect users' perceptions of goal difficulties and goal specificities, which in turn affect their MFA continuance usage intentions.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a survey method to analyze the research model, and a total of 223 responses are collected. The partial least squares (PLS) technique is utilized for data analysis.FindingsThe results show that intelligence and anthropomorphism affect the continuance usage intention of MFA users through their goal difficulty and specificity. Both intelligence and anthropomorphism positively influence goal specificity, whereas they negatively affect goal difficulty. In addition, goal specificity increases users' MFA continuance usage intention, whereas goal difficulty decreases users' continuance usage intention. The findings of this study provide theoretical contributions for AI technology adoption research and offer practical strategies for firms to retain MFA users.Originality/valueBased on goal-setting theory, this study reveals that as two primary AI features of contemporary mobile fitness apps, intelligence and anthropomorphism, can increase comprehension of users' perceptions regarding goal difficulty and specificity in the context of users' continuance usage intentions toward AI-powered MFAs.

Background: An increased number of chronic diseases in China has caused a major public health concern, requiring solution-focused approaches towards their prevention and management. Physical activity has been identified as an effective method to enhance physical fitness and control chronic diseases. Objective: This paper aims at establishing the relationship of physical activity and chronic disease management with an emphasis on mediating roles of physical fitness improvement and health behavior change. Methods: The participants for the study comprised 600 diagnosed chronic diseases adult patients from major hospitals and health centers in Hunan. The purposive sampling technique was used to collect the data from those patients who were physically active in the process of managing their diseases. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the collected data using IBM SPSS AMOS software. Results: The findings reveal that physical activity significantly impacts physical fitness improvement, health behavior change, and chronic disease management. Physical fitness improvement and health behavior change has positive association with chronic disease management. Conclusion: Physical fitness improvement and health behavior change also found to have significant mediation effect on the relationship between physical activity and chronic disease management. The study recommends that healthcare providers should focus on increasing physical activity and provide specific physical fitness interventions to adopt appropriate behavioral changes that can improve chronic disease status and reduce healthcare costs.

BackgroundIncreased accessibility to the internet and mobile devices has seen a rapid expansion in electronic health (eHealth) behavior change interventions delivered to patients with cancer and survivors using synchronous, asynchronous, and combined delivery methods. Characterizing effective delivery methods of eHealth interventions is required to enable improved design and implementation of evidence-based health behavior change interventions.ObjectiveThis study aims to systematically review the literature and synthesize evidence on the success of eHealth behavior change interventions in patients with cancer and survivors delivered by synchronous, asynchronous, or combined methods compared with a control group. Engagement with the intervention, behavior change, and health outcomes, including quality of life, fatigue, depression, and anxiety, were examined.MethodsA search of Scopus, Ovid MEDLINE, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature Plus, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, and PubMed was conducted for studies published between March 2007 and March 2019. We looked for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining interventions delivered to adult cancer survivors via eHealth methods with a measure of health behavior change. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed to examine whether the method of eHealth delivery impacted the level of engagement, behavior change, and health outcomes.ResultsA total of 24 RCTs were included predominantly examining dietary and physical activity behavior change interventions. There were 11 studies that used a synchronous approach and 11 studies that used an asynchronous approach, whereas 2 studies used a combined delivery method. Use of eHealth interventions improved exercise behavior (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.34, 95% CI 0.21-0.48), diet behavior (SMD 0.44, 95% CI 0.18-0.70), fatigue (SMD 0.21, 95% CI −0.08 to 0.50; SMD change 0.22, 95% CI 0.09-0.35), anxiety (SMD 1.21, 95% CI: 0.36-2.07; SMD change 0.15, 95% CI −0.09 to 0.40), depression (SMD 0.15, 95% CI 0.00-0.30), and quality of life (SMD 0.12, 95% CI −0.10 to 0.34; SMD change 0.14, 95% CI 0.04-0.24). The mode of delivery did not influence the amount of dietary and physical activity behavior change observed.ConclusionsPhysical activity and dietary behavior change eHealth interventions delivered to patients with cancer or survivors have a small to moderate impact on behavior change and a small to very small benefit to quality of life, fatigue, depression, and anxiety. There is insufficient evidence to determine whether asynchronous or synchronous delivery modes yield superior results. Three-arm RCTs comparing delivery modes with a control with robust engagement reporting are required to determine the most successful delivery method for promoting behavior change and ultimately favorable health outcomes.

This empirical paper fills the research gap by modelling goal mechanisms on the extension of Goal Setting Theory (GST) as a mediator role between the goal core (GC) and engagement in mobile fitness applications. Data were gathered from a survey whereby 355 mobile fitness application users completed the questionnaire of the study. The study utilized structural equation modelling (SEM), specifically the partial least squares approach (PLSSEM). The analysis was conducted in two stages: evaluating the measurement model and assessing the structural model. The results indicate that goal mechanisms have a significant impact on user engagement, providing strong support for the hypothesis that individuals who use goal-setting features in mobile fitness apps tend to exhibit greater levels of engagement. Consistently, goal mechanisms significantly mediate the relationship between goal core and individual engagement. The contribution of the paper is threefold: first, it increases the literature database regarding the antecedents of goal mechanisms on Goal Setting Theory (GST); second, it changes the way we perceive the relationship between goal core and engagement by introducing goal mechanisms as a mediator and lastly, it provides guidance on engagement strategy decisions to fitness trainers and centres and serves as the basis for future research.

Physical Education, Exercise, Fitness and Sports: Early PM&R Leaders Build a Strong Foundation

Context: Changes in commitment and the predictors of commitment to an athletic training program (ATP) across the academic 4-year program is important for facilitating students' continued success in ATPs and on the Board of Certification (BOC) exam. Objective: The purpose of this study was 2-fold: (1) examine changes in 1 cohort's perceptions of commitment across 4 academic years, and (2) to determine if commitment constructs could predict BOC scores. Design: Longitudinal and cross-sectional survey. Setting: Commission on Accrediting Athletic Training Education accredited ATP at a midsize Division I University. Patients or Other Participants: For purpose (1), 24 ATP students (male = 12, female = 12) participated, and ranged in age from 21–23 years (mean = 21.50 ± 0.59). For purpose (2), a total of 75 male and female senior ATP students participated. Main Outcome Measure(s): Repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted on each predictor of commitment and ATP commitment to determine significant changes in scores from 1 year to the next. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to determine if commitment constructs could predict BOC scores. Lastly, a multivariate analysis of variance compared successful and unsuccessful first attempt BOC candidates on the commitment constructs. Results: Commitment, enjoyment, and benefits decreased significantly from the first year in the ATP to the second year in the program. Attractive alternatives and investments significantly increased during this same timeframe. No significant changes occurred in students' perceptions of perceived social constraints or support from professors, parents, peers, or best friends. Lastly, commitment constructs failed to predict who would pass the BOC exam, and no differences emerged for commitment constructs between students who passed the BOC exam on the first attempt and those who did not. Conclusions: Athletic Training Program students' commitment, enjoyment, investments, attractive alternatives, and perceived benefits fluctuate throughout their time enrolled in an ATP.

Context Graduates of athletic training programs (ATPs) have identified factors contributing to their persistence through professional education. However, program directors have yet to elaborate on programmatic attributes that might contribute to athletic training student retention in their respective ATPs. Objective To determine program directors' perceptions of ATP strengths and areas for improvement regarding athletic training student retention. Design Qualitative study. Setting Bachelor's ATPs. Patients or Other Participants Sixteen ATP directors with 6.0 ± 4.0 years of experience in their current positions. Main Outcome Measure(s) The participants completed audio recorded telephone interviews. We analyzed the data using principles of grounded theory and maintained trustworthiness using multiple-analyst triangulation, peer review, and member checks. Results We found 2 themes to describe the strengths of bachelor's ATPs. Our participants thought that they provided a student-centered approach and diverse clinical education experiences leading to a supportive and exciting environment to foster athletic training student learning. We categorized the student centered approach theme into 3 subthemes: program size, student engagement and program atmosphere, and academic and clinical cohesion. Conclusions Program directors should strive to provide athletic training students with individual attention to help them feel welcomed, valued, and important. A small program size or adequate personnel can foster interpersonal relations which can provide athletic training students with mentoring opportunities. Improving ATP cohesion can provide learning opportunities which assist students in making connections and promote the importance of the academic and clinical education components of the ATP. Engaging athletic training students early through a variety of clinical education experiences can assist professional socialization and foster excitement for the profession.

Context Diversity, equity, and inclusion training in academic programming has evolved in recent years to address racial minority and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer populations; an additional special population that merits inclusion in this type of programming is the military-affiliated population. Objective Introduce the Campus Green Zone training workshop as an option to incorporate cultural competency for the military-affiliated patient or client population in athletic training programs. Background Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education standards identify the need for students to engage with clients or patients who participate in nonsport activities such as those in the military. The Campus Green Zone training program focuses on educating individuals about military-affiliated culture. One athletic training program requested a tailored version of the training for graduate students to prepare them for interacting with military-affiliated patients. Description Staff from the institution's Office of Military Affairs presented the training to 2 classes of athletic training graduate students, working in collaboration with the athletic training program's clinical education coordinator, to develop a version of the Campus Green Zone training that would help students reflect on the potential for interaction with clients representing the military-affiliated communities. Clinical Advantage(s) By importing a training workshop that is already in use on campus, the instructor saved time researching and deploying cultural sensitivity materials related to the military-affiliated population. By collaborating closely with the staff of the Office of Military Affairs, the training was improved and expanded upon to better serve the needs of the athletic training students. Conclusion(s) Athletic training instructors may meet the standard of cultural awareness in part by incorporating Campus Green Zone workshops and materials into their curriculum for graduate-level preservice students.

Context Preceptors play a vital role in athletic training education as they mentor and socialize athletic training students into their professional role. Exploring the benefits to serving as a preceptor is important to secure appropriate professional role models for students. Objective To determine the benefits of serving as an athletic training preceptor. Design Qualitative study. Setting Undergraduate athletic training programs (ATPs). Patients or Other Participants Twenty-four preceptors (average age = 32 ± 7 years, 11 male, 13 female, average clinical experience = 9 ± 6 years, average preceptor experience = 5 ± 3 years) volunteered to participate in our study. Participants represented 7 undergraduate Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education–accredited ATPs from the east coast. Data Collection and Analysis We asked participants to journal responses to open-ended questions through a QuestionPro online survey. We analyzed data using a general inductive approach. We secured credibility by using consistency and stakeholder checks and by having a peer review our work. Results Three main themes emerged from the data. Preceptors enjoy the personal relationships they build with students. The challenging atmosphere of supervising students while they gain knowledge to improve their skills also came through as a major benefit to serving as a preceptor. Finally, our participants enjoy teaching and mentoring the future members of the athletic training profession. Conclusions Our participants listed the relationships they build with students as rewarding, potentially leading to an improved professional commitment. Reciprocal learning between the preceptors and the students allows for a stimulating environment and has the potential to improve patient care. The enjoyment of teaching and mentoring students may aid in providing a dynamic atmosphere for students to learn.

Data about effects of exercise training in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) are very limited. This study investigated the effect of 2 different frequencies of the same intensity and total training volume of combined exercise training on indices of body composition, physical fitness, and lipid profile in overweight and obese adolescents with ID. A total of 45 overweight and obese adolescents with ID aged 14-22 years with a total IQ 45-70 received combined exercise training 3 times a week (CET3) for 30 sessions (10 weeks; n = 15), twice a week (CET2) for 30 sessions (15 weeks; n = 15), or no training (10 weeks; n = 15). Groups were matched for age, sex, and education form. Before and after the intervention period, indices of body composition, physical fitness and lipid profile have been evaluated. Compared to the control group, CET3 resulted in a significant improvement of physical fitness, obesity indices, and lipid profile of the participants. Comparing CET2 with CET3, no significantly different evolutions were noticed, except for lower limb strength in favor of exercising 3 times a week. In conclusion, exercising 2 times a week, which is more feasible and practical for participants and guidance, has the same health beneficial effects as 3 times per week in overweight and obese adolescents with ID in short-term training.

Context Immersive clinical education experiences (ImCEs) are a recent addition to the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education standards. As such, there is little information on how athletic training programs design and implement ImCEs into the curriculum. Objective The purpose of this study was to explore the structure of ImCEs among athletic training programs and practices relating to identifying and developing ImCEs. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Web-based survey. Patients or Other Participants A total of 103 of 265 Coordinators of Clinical Education for Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education-accredited professional programs participated (women = 69, men = 29, 4 = prefer not to disclose, 1 = unanswered). Main Outcome Measures Coordinators of Clinical Education provided information about their program, timing and length of ImCEs, and the settings used. Program practices for preceptor selection and development, curricular design for simultaneous didactic coursework, and resources available to students were also investigated. Results The average number of ImCEs was 1.9, with a length of 4 to 28 weeks. Most programs have the first ImCE in the second year and primarily rely on college/university and secondary school settings. Programs reporting ImCEs less than 4 weeks in length and those requiring synchronous coursework during clinical immersion are of concern. Conclusions Athletic training programs are integrating ImCEs in a variety of ways. There may be confusion as to best practices and Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education requirements for ImCEs.

Context Professional identity development in professional master's (PM) athletic training students occurs over time and is influenced by numerous socializing factors. Although socialization processes of athletic training students have been examined, professional identity development related to the Weidman et al graduate and professional student socialization framework [Weidman JC, Twale DJ, Stein EL, et al. Socialization of Graduate and Professional Students in Higher Education: A Perilous Passage? ASHE-ERIC higher education report. Vol 28, No. 3. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series; 2001] has never been examined in athletic training. This model values the multiple networks, individuals, and experiences that influence graduate students throughout their program. Objective To assess the lived experiences of 1 cohort of students enrolled in a PM athletic training program and determine what curricular and clinical education factors influence the development of professional identity. Design Qualitative study. Setting Focus group interview. Patients or Other Participants Ten of 12 (83%) students (5 females and 5 males) from a single PM athletic training cohort program participated. Data Collection and Analysis We conducted a focus group interview, which we transcribed verbatim, with participants during the last week of their last semester in the PM athletic training program. Data analysis was deductive and then inductive throughout the coding process, and we reached data saturation at the individual participant and cohort levels. We ensured trustworthiness through multiple analyst triangulation, peer expert review, and multiple data sources. Results Three factors influenced the development of the PM athletic training student's professional identity: (1) their clinical education experiences, (2) the cohort experience, and (3) their school/life balance. Within the clinical education experience, the immersive experience, clinical setting, and patients and preceptors were also influential. Conclusions This study used the Weidman et al socialization model. The experiences of PM athletic training students and their professional identity development are inclusive of the relationship with others throughout the educational experience, as well as their self-reflective practices within the field. It is important for stakeholders to understand the many factors that influence professional identity development.

Objective Health and fitness mobile applications can increase users’ physical activity (PA) levels (Lister et al., 2014). ParticipACTION is a national non-profit organization that developed a mobile app to target PA among adults (Truelove et al., 2020). The aim of this research was to examine how women’s PA is related to their use of the ParticipACTION app. Methods and Measurement Using a mixed-methods design, participants (n = 3,493) completed a survey regarding their PA levels, motivation for PA (capability, opportunity, motivation; COM-B, Keyworth et al., 2020), and motivation for using the ParticipACTION app. Nine focus groups were conducted (n = 37) to discuss the mobile app further. Results Path analyses revealed that users’ app use was positively associated with motivations for various app functions (e.g. self-monitoring, seeking exercise guidance), however, only motivation in-turn predicted PA. Descriptive results indicated that many women in Canada who used the app do not meet national guidelines for PA per week. Qualitative findings highlight women’s motivation for using the app, concerns with app functionality, and feelings of guilt for not engaging in PA. Conclusion The ParticipACTION app may have some benefit for improving women’s PA; intervention studies are needed to determine efficacy of mobile applications.