Why not put that cell phone to a healthy, good use. Well, researchers noted that a study involving mobile phones and text messages can change diabetes risk behaviors for the better. In the study that sent twice-weekly text messages to a million people in India reminding them to exercise, eat less fat, and eat more fruits and vegetables increased positive behaviors the Northwestern Medicine and Arogya World, a global health non-profit organization, reported.
While people in both the experimental and control group improved their health behaviors over six months, 40 percent more of the people in the experimental group improved significantly as a consequence of receiving texts.
By using the potential of mobile phones to change diabetes risk behaviors across India, the possibility of improving the quality of life in for diabetics in a country where some 66 million people live with the disease is considered extremely important.
The initial research compared scores of the experimental group’s fruit, vegetable, and fat consumption and exercise with the control group. While people in both the experimental and control group improved their health behaviors over six months, 40 percent more of the people in the experimental group improved significantly as a consequence of receiving texts.
“Noncommunicable diseases, one of the leading health and development challenges of the century, demand simple, proven, cost-effective prevention solutions that can be easily deployed at the population level,” founder and CEO of Arogya World Nalini Saligram said. “Our mDiabetes study suggests mobile health technology is a smart solution and has broad implications for diabetes prevention at the population level in low and middle-income countries.”
Lead study author Angela Fidler Pfammatter said that this demonstrates how the potential for mobile phones to be employed to deliver public health messages on a large scale across a diverse population. “And you just need a basic mobile phone. This can make an impact.”
The initial study noted the responses from nearly 1,000 people who received text messages as part of Arogya World’s mDiabetes initiative and compared them to answers from a similar number of people who didn’t receive the text messages.
Arogya World then partnered with Nokia during 2012-2013 on mDiabetes and sent text messages on diabetes prevention twice a week for six months to one million of its Indian subscribers who signed up for the program.
