Taniar, David, King, Jemma, Manger, Sam, and Carlisle, Karen (2026) Digital nudging techniques for behaviour change in lifestyle medicine: a scoping review. Frontiers in Digital Health, 8. 1799205.

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Abstract

Digital nudging has emerged as a promising strategy for promoting health-related behaviour change within the context of Lifestyle Medicine (LM). This scoping review systematically mapped the current evidence on digital nudging interventions across pillars of LM, including nutrition, physical activity (PA), mind-body health, sleep, and addiction. A total of 52 studies were included, covering a range of technologies, such as mobile apps, web-based platforms, augmented reality, chatbots, and voice-activated systems. These technologies served as platforms or mechanisms for delivering digital nudges rather than constituting distinct nudging categories. Through thematic analysis, digital nudging interventions were categorised into four types: (i) one-way nudging, (ii) nudging through system interactions, (iii) nudging via peer interaction, and (iv) self-nudging. Nutrition and physical activity were the most frequently targeted LM domains, accounting for more than three-quarters of the studies. The review highlights the potential of digital nudges to drive behaviour change, particularly when integrated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) or advanced technologies. However, gaps remain, including short-term study designs, limited diversity in participant populations, and underrepresentation of certain LM pillars. Future research should prioritise long-term studies with broader and more diverse populations. Enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration is crucial to advancing the design and implementation of effective digital nudging strategies in lifestyle medicine.

Item ID:	93832
Item Type:	Article (Refereed Research - C1)
ISSN:	2673-253X
Copyright Information:	© 2026 Taniar, King, Manger and Carlisle. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Date Deposited:	28 Aug 2026 00:31
FoR Codes:	42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4206 Public health > 420699 Public health not elsewhere classified @ 50% 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4203 Health services and systems > 420302 Digital health @ 50%
SEO Codes:	20 HEALTH > 2002 Evaluation of health and support services > 200201 Determinants of health @ 50% 20 HEALTH > 2001 Clinical health > 200199 Clinical health not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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