Study finds devices may decrease sedentary time, increase physical activity
A pilot study finds that using smartphone reminders to prompt people to get moving may help reduce sedentary behavior. The study was supported by the American Cancer Society (ACS), with technical expertise provided by the e-Health Technology Program at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. It appears in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.
Evidence has linked sedentary time to increased risk of breast, colorectal, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate cancers as well as weight gain, higher BMI, and obesity. Nevertheless, adults in the U.S. spend an average of about 8 waking hours per day being sedentary. Few interventions have specifically focused on decreasing and interrupting sedentary time and even less is known about the role of mobile phone technology.