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Acceptability of smartphone technology to interrupt sedentary time in adults with diabetes

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Breaking up sitting time with light- or moderate-intensity physical activity may help to alleviate some negative health effects of sedentary behavior, but few studies have examined ways to effectively intervene. This feasibility study examined the acceptability of a new technology (NEAT!) developed to interrupt prolonged bouts (≥20 min) of sedentary time among adults with type 2 diabetes. Eight of nine participants completed a 1-month intervention and agreed that NEAT! made them more conscious of sitting time. Most participants (87.5 %) expressed a desire to use NEAT! in the future. Sedentary time decreased by 8.1 ± 4.5 %, and light physical activity increased by 7.9 ± 5.5 % over the 1-month period. The results suggest that NEAT! is an acceptable technology to intervene on sedentary time among adults with type 2 diabetes. Future studies are needed to examine the use of the technology among larger samples and determine its effects on glucose and insulin levels.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Chicago Center for Diabetes Translation Research (NIDDK P30 KD092949), the Dean’s office of the Biological Sciences Division of the University of Chicago, and NIDDK R01 DK097364. The authors thank Jennifer Warnick for her assistance with the qualitative analyses.

Conflict of interest

No competing financial interests exist.

Adherence to ethical principles

All procedures performed, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the approving institutional review boards and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 680 N. Lake Shore Drive, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Christine A. Pellegrini Ph.D., Sara A. Hoffman B.A., Elyse R. Daly B.A., Manuel Murillo, Gleb Iakovlev & Bonnie Spring Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Christine A. Pellegrini Ph.D.
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  2. Sara A. Hoffman B.A.
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  3. Elyse R. Daly B.A.
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  4. Manuel Murillo
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  5. Gleb Iakovlev
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  6. Bonnie Spring Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine A. Pellegrini Ph.D..

Additional information

Implications

Practice: Practitioners may consider recommending breaking up prolonged sedentary bouts, particularly for those who spend the majority of the day sitting.

Policy: Policymakers should consider developing appropriate recommendations for sedentary behavior.

Research: More research is needed to further examine the role of technology in interrupting prolonged bouts of sedentary behavior and determine whether this can significantly improve biomarkers.

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Pellegrini, C.A., Hoffman, S.A., Daly, E.R. et al. Acceptability of smartphone technology to interrupt sedentary time in adults with diabetes. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 5, 307–314 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-015-0314-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-015-0314-3

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