PAEL lab’s Pope, Zeng, Lee, and Gao publish in Translational Behavioral Medicine

Zach Pope
Dr. Zan Gao

Zachary Pope, Ph.D. candidate in the School of Kinesiology and a member of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Laboratory (PAEL), is first author on a recently published article in Translational Behavioral Medicine titled, “Feasibility of Smartphone Application and Social Media Intervention on Breast Cancer Survivors’ Health Outcomes.” The article’s co-authors include lab member Nan Zeng, Ph.D. candidate, former lab member June Lee, Ph.D.Zan Gao, Ph.D., lab director, as well as Hee Yun Lee, Ph.D. from the University of Alabama.

The study investigates the feasibility of employing a commercially available mobile health application and social media-based health education intervention to improve breast cancer survivors’ physical activity and health. Observations indicate that the 10-week intervention designed to increase physical activity duration and steps per day decreases body weight and body fat percentage. Improvements in breast cancer survivors’ quality of life were also observed.