A group of scientists at the Alliance for Research in Exercise Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of chatbots on lifestyle behaviors.
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 19 trials has found that chatbot interventions are efficacious for improving physical activity, diet quality, sleep duration, and quality. The trials included a total of 2,547 participants aged 9 to 71 years. Most interventions (79%) targeted physical activity, and most trials were of low quality.
Outcomes of interest
Outcomes of interest were
- total physical activity (any measure of low, moderate and/or vigorous intensity physical activity reported as a duration, e.g., minutes per day or week),
- moderate-to-vigorous physical activity only (MVPA, minutes/week), (
- daily steps,
- fruit and vegetable consumption,
- sleep quality and
- sleep duration.
Findings
The review found that chatbot interventions significantly increased total physical activity, steps, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), fruit and vegetable consumption, sleep duration, and sleep quality. Text-based and artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots were more effective than voice chatbots for diet. Multicomponent interventions (i.e., those that included other interventions in addition to the chatbot) were more effective than chatbot-only interventions for sleep.
The review concluded that chatbot interventions are efficacious for improving physical activity, diet quality, sleep duration, and quality across populations, age groups, durations, and as standalone or part of multicomponent interventions. The review also found that chatbot interventions were more effective than other interventions, such as text messaging and telephone calls.
The findings of this review suggest that chatbots can be a promising tool for improving health behaviors. Chatbots are convenient, accessible, and can be tailored to individual needs. They can also provide personalized feedback and support. Future research should focus on developing high-quality chatbot interventions and evaluating their long-term effectiveness.
Additional Points
- The review found that chatbot interventions were more effective for people who were less motivated to change their health behaviors.
- Chatbots can be used to provide information, reminders, and encouragement.
- Chatbots can also be used to track progress and provide feedback.
- Chatbots can be used to connect people with other resources, such as fitness classes or community support groups.
Source: Systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of chatbots on lifestyle behaviours
