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Background There are limited systematic reviews exploring the use of social media for recruiting participants specifically for nutrition, physical activity, and obesity related studies. Objective To conduct a systematic review on the effectiveness of using social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for recruiting healthy participants in nutrition, physical activity, or obesity related studies. Design Studies were identified from five databases and included if they reported the number of participants recruited by social media (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) vs traditional (printed, email, etc.). The effectiveness of recruitment was compared between methods by study procedures (in-person vs online procedures). The cost-effectiveness of methods was also explored. The protocol was published in the Prospero database (ID# CRD42020204414). Results Twenty-six studies were included. Among studies with both types of recruitment methods, 49% of the sample was reached through traditional methods, 40% through social media, and the rest by other methods. For in-person study procedures, the median number of participants recruited using social media was 19 (range 3-278) and for online study procedures, it was 298 (range 3-17,069). Median recruitment cost using social media (n = 14 studies) was ${\$}$11.9 (range ${\$}$0-517) per participant while this varied considerably for traditional methods depending on how it was calculated (${\$}$214, ${\$}$18.9-${\$}$777). The ratio of participants reached vs recruited was 0.12%; the overall ratio of participants interactions vs recruited was 21.2%. Conclusion For in-person study procedures, traditional recruitment methods were more effective than social media but for online study procedures, about half reported that social media was more effective. While more potential participants were reached through social media, only 21.2% of those who interacted with ads were enrolled. With the increased use of social media, their use for recruitment may be more frequent; therefore, future reviews may show different results.

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a systematic review of facilitators and barriers for children's participation in nutrition, physical activity, and obesity interventions from the perspective of parents, children, and researchers. METHODS: Studies were identified from 5 databases and restricted to children 2–18 years and to English. Studies without results on facilitator and barriers of recruitment were excluded. RESULTS: 423 records were identified; 97 duplicates and 269 unrelated records were initially excluded; 60 records were reviewed for full-text and subsequently 26 were excluded, for a total of 34 included studies. The top four barriers reported by children and parents were time constraints, nature of the intervention, limited understanding of clinical trial information or complexity of consent/trial info, and cost, while for researchers reported barriers were lack of transportation/lack of or childcare and time constraints. The top four common facilitators reported by children and parents were benefit others (altruism) and themselves, compensation/incentives, nature of the intervention, and quality of life, while for researchers these were physician recommendations/referrals, benefits to others and themselves, simple and clear materials describing the study and the inclusion criteria, and compensation/incentives. CONCLUSIONS: These barriers and facilitators should be addressed in future studies to assist in the successful recruitment of children into nutrition, physical activity, and obesity interventions. FUNDING SOURCES: Funding was supported by the National Institute of Health (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NICHD), grant number 1R01HD098589-01.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effectiveness of social media for recruitment compared to traditional methods, to calculate an average impression/reach to participant recruitment ratio from social media, and to identify the social media platforms most effective in recruiting study participants. METHODS: Studies within any date of publication were identified from 5 databases and included if any social media platform was used for the recruitment of participants of all age groups and if studies were linked to nutrition, obesity and physical activity. Studies without results on number of participants recruited using social media or those targeting participants with chronic conditions were excluded. RESULTS: 173 total studies were identified, 54 were duplicates, 61 were removed after initial screening and another 34 were removed after full text review; resulting in 24 studies included in this review. Among studies using both traditional (printed, word of mouth, etc) and social media methods for recruitment, average recruitment was 54% from traditional methods compared to 40% from social media. A total of 14 studies reported data on recruitment cost with an average of $33 per participant (range $0–$258). Average participants recruited via social media to an “in-person” interventional study was 128 (range 8–426), to participate in an online survey 2,739 (range 63–17,069), and for other online delivered interventions 349 (range 3–1242). Regarding advertisement (ad) reach and interaction, 18 studies that reported results showed that 0.73% of those reached by study ads were enrolled and 30.7% of those that interacted with ads were enrolled. The most frequent social media platform used for recruitment was Facebook (97%), followed by Twitter (17%), and Instagram (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Among studies using both traditional methods and social media, there were less people recruited using social media. While social media was able to reach more potential participants, only one third of those who interacted with ads were enrolled. Many of the studies only required participants to respond to a survey; therefore, more research is needed to identify the effectiveness of using social media for recruiting participants for studies that require a more intense participation. FUNDING SOURCES: National Institutes of Health – Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

OBJECTIVES: The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) surveys the overall health and well-being of participants nationwide. To address rising obesity rates in the US, the USDA implemented revisions in 2010 to the NSLP targeting sodium and sugar intake reduction. Our objective was to compare intake of sodium and sugar between NSLP participants and non-NSLP participants. METHODS: Data from 2015–2016 NHANES survey were analyzed, which is after the implementations of the USDA revisions. All children (4–15 years) with two 24-hr dietary recalls were included. Mean intake for sugar and sodium were computed between the 2 recalls. NSLP participants were those who reported 2–5 school lunches per week whereas those reporting one school lunch per week or none were considered as not participating. Analyses were stratified by the following ages groups: 4–8y; 9–13y; and 14–15y. ANCOVA, adjusted for gender, was used to compare normalized intakes of sugar and sodium. RESULTS: A total of 1370 children were included (49% were females). Sugar intake was similar between NSLP or non-NSLP participants in children 4–8y. In children 9–13y, sugar intake was higher in NSLP participants (101 ± 2.31 g/d) versus non-NSLP participants (95.2 ± 1.94 g/d; P = 0.010) but lower in children 14–15y in NSLP participants (95.7 ± 2.44 g/d) versus non-NSLP participants (106 ± 2.67 g/d; P = 0.022). Sodium intake was higher in NSLP participants (2731 ± 8.64 mg/d) versus non-NSLP participants (2583 ± 9.69 mg/d; P = 0.020) in children 4–8y and also in children 9–13y (NSLP participants 3097 ± 10.4 mg/d; non-NSLP participants 2852 ± 8.07; P