None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
More than half of the Australian population do not meet the levels of physical activity recommended to achieve health benefits. The Internet has become an increasingly important communication tool, and Internet based physical activity interventions which include innovative technology have the potential to reach large groups of individuals and contribute to the promotion of physical activity and behaviour change. Each year there is a proliferation of health-related and health-promotion websites, yet virtually no work has been done to study the utility and effectiveness of these population-targeted websites. This study will develop a website featuring Web 2.0 applications and evaluate the efficacy and utility of the website to promote physical activity in comparison to a conventional (Web 1.0) physical activity promotion website. The ET takes advantage of the unique 'real world' sample available to the research team through the existing 10,000 Steps website to evaluate engagement by users from the broader community. The efficacy of the intervention is initially being tested in the in a randomised control trial (RCT). The RCT is investigating efficacy, adherence and behaviour change in a rigorous, controlled setting with high internal validity. The RCT has been registered separately (ACTRN12611000157976). We expect that the current proposal will provide an increased understanding of the benefits of newer web-based technologies and applications in engaging and retaining participants on web-based physical activity promotion sites. This work has the potential to improve health outcomes from increased engagement/retention in physical activity.
Interventions
The efficacy of the web 2.0 physical activity intervention will be tested initially in a randomised controlled trial (ACTRN12611000157976). The ecological trial will complement the randomised controlled trial by providing additional information about the recruitment and retention capabilities of the intervention using a self-selected sample of real-world users of an existing health promotion website. Since 2007, the 10,000 Step website has averaged approximately 1,000 new registrants per month.
The efficacy of the web 2.0 physical activity intervention will be tested initially in a randomised controlled trial (ACTRN12611000157976). The ecological trial will complement the randomised controlled trial by providing additional information about the recruitment and retention capabilities of the intervention using a self-selected sample of real-world users of an existing health promotion website. Since 2007, the 10,000 Step website has averaged approximately 1,000 new registrants per month. During the recruitment phase of the ecological trial, all individuals who register, of their own impetus, with the online program will be presented with an option to participate in the study and provide informed consent. The primary intervention group will receive access to an interactive website with web 2.0 content including streams, social media connectivity and other innovative content. 1447 participants will be recruited to this group. Participants' interactions with the website will be monitored for the duration of the project (1 year). Time spent interacting with the website is self-selected and internet engagement (number of hits, session duration) will be monitored and, combined with self-reported physical activity patterns, used to examine utility of the site in promoting physical activity.
Sponsors
University of Western Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Volunteers will be eligible to participate in the study if: 1) they are ambulatory 2) they are able to read and/or speak English
Exclusion criteria
Volunteers will be excluded from participating in the study if: 1) they are engaged in more than 150 minutes of moderate physical activity on 5 or more days of the week. 2) they are under 18 years of age
Outcome results
None listed