Having trouble keeping your weight under control? Try this: Text messaging.
A recent study from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health says that people who received a weekly text message reminding them of their recommended caloric intake were more likely to remember their caloric limit–and stick to it.
Those who opted not to receive a daily text message were more than twice as likely to forget how many calories they needed to consume everyday, however.
The findings are published online in the journal Health Promotion Practice.
“While daily energy needs vary, the 2,000-calorie value provides a general frame of reference that can make menu and product nutrition labels more meaningful,” says Lawrence J. Cheskin, M.D., director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center at Bloomberg School of Public Health and leader of the study. “When people know their calorie ‘budget’ for the day, they have context for making healthier meal and snack choices.”
While initiatives to make calorie counts more visible have been in the works for some time, researchers note that this alone hasn’t been enough to encourage people to make healthier food choices. In the study itself, 58 percent of the participants didn’t even know their recommended caloric intake, regardless of their education or prior awareness of national dietary recommendations.
Cheskin wanted to see if other measures, such as reminding people of their recommended calorie intake regularly, helped them remember it better–and better yet, stick to it.
To test this out, he recruited 246 participants who dined regularly at the Johns Hopkins Hospital cafeteria, splitting them into three groups. Each group would receive one of three reminders–a weekly text message, a weekly email reminder, or no reminder at all. All of the messsages reminded them of their recommended caloric intake which, in this case, was 2,000 calories.
By the end of the study, Cheskin found that those who received the weekly text messages were twice as likely to remember these recommendations.
“Given the low level of calorie literacy, simply posting calorie counts on menu boards is not sufficient,” says Cheskin. “There are many simple ways to convey calorie information to consumers, including point of sale communication, text messages, emails and even smart phone apps. Our data indicate that weekly text messages are one element in this mix that can be effective.”
What This Means For You
As Cheskin points out, simply being aware of how much you need to eat isn’t enough–instead, regular reminders are a better tool for staying on track.
But you needn’t use only text messages to stick to your diet, say experts. Instead, you could utilize this strategy in different ways–such as placing sticky notes around your computer or kitchen as regular reminders, or even having a buddy remind you regularly to stay on track.
But whatever you do, remember the cardinal rule of dieting: Make it consistent.
“Ideally, these could work together, with calories posted on menus, restaurant signage and food labels along with personal reminders delivered through the latest technology,” says Cheskin.
Readers: How do you keep yourself on track while dieting?
Sources:
Weekly Text Message Encourages Healthier Food Choices – ScienceDaily.com
Consumer Understanding of Calorie Labeling – SagePUB.com
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