Promoting healthy lifestyles using information technology during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

In this pandemic era there exist a relationship between a sedentary lifestyle during lockdown with periods of anxiety and stress among the population. Moreover, the population with chronic disease will be vulnerable to the ill effects of a physically inactive lifestyle. Besides, social media platforms and technological advances also appear to be another potential tool for promoting health and wellbeing, however, the capability of these interventions during the pandemic era is largely unknown. To explore the possible role of technological advances and social media platforms as an alternate tool in promoting a healthy living style during the COVID-19 era. The studies with the predefined criteria were used to synthesize information regarding the opportunities and challenges. Studies delivering lifestyle intervention using social media platforms, technologies for health promotion were considered for the review. The studies included to synthesize evidence were randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Database like Medline, Scopus, and Science Direct were searched independently by two reviewers. A total of 17 studies were included in the review, Internet and lifestyle modification n = 2, mHealth and lifestyle modification n = 3, Social media and lifestyle modifications n = 3, technology adoption for lifestyle modification n = 4, and hazards = 5. Technology and social media-based interventions appear to be a promising technique for promoting health and wellbeing and it is the only effective method for delivering an intervention during a pandemic situation. However, there also appears a need for the development of guidelines for social media usage to prevent probable hazards.