Physical Activity
Conditions
Keywords
Physical activity, Accelerometer, Steps, Medical residents
Brief summary
The main objective of this study is to test an intervention to increase the physical activity of medical residents, an employee population with little time for exercise. Specifically, the aims of this study are: 1. To determine if providing medical residents with an activity device that measures steps, distance, and calories burned and tracks this information over time on a website increases residents' physical activity levels as measured by number of steps per day compared to a control group using a blinded activity device (no feedback). 2. To determine if an unblinded team competition using the activity device directly following the randomized phase increases residents' activity level compared to baseline. 3. To determine if activity level is associated with change in weight during the residency year. 4. To determine if the average hours of sleep per week is associated with changes in weight and with activity level.
Interventions
DEVICEActivity monitor
The activity monitor is an accelerometer that records steps, distance, calories, and sleep
DEVICEActivity device
Accelerometer that has all the steps, distance, calories, and sleep data blinded to the study subject
Sponsors
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Massachusetts General Hospital
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
21 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Massachusetts General Hospital medicine resident
Exclusion criteria
* none
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Steps Per Day | 12 weeks | Steps will be recorded on the activity device |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Distance Per Day | 12 weeks | Distance in miles recorded on activity device. |
| Calories Burned Per Day | 12 weeks | Total calories burned per day recorded on activity device. This secondary outcome was not measured in the trial. |
| Weight | 6 months | — |
| Hours of Sleep Per Night | 12 weeks | Number of hours slept per night as recorded on activity device. This secondary outcome was not measured in the trial. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Recruitment details
Medical residents were recruited during ambulatory care blocks from July 2010 through November 2010.
Pre-assignment details
Subjects were randomized at the end of December 2010. Four residents withdrew prior to randomization (1 changed mind, 2 said they did not have time, 1 did not complete baseline assessment).
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Unblinded Activity monitor with visible and on-line feedback | 52 |
| Blinded Activity monitor with no feedback | 52 |
| Total | 104 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Blinded | Unblinded | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 52 Participants | 52 Participants | 104 Participants |
| Age, Continuous | 29 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.4 | 29 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.3 | 29 years STANDARD_DEVIATION 0.2 |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 52 participants | 52 participants | 104 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 29 Participants | 27 Participants | 56 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 23 Participants | 25 Participants | 48 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 52 | 0 / 52 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 52 | 0 / 52 |
Outcome results
Primary
Steps Per Day
Steps will be recorded on the activity device
Time frame: 12 weeks
Population: We excluded 4 participants who withdrew prior to randomization and 5 who withdrew after randomization.
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Unblinded | Steps Per Day | 6369 steps per day |
| Blinded | Steps Per Day | 6063 steps per day |
p-value: 0.16Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney)
Secondary
Calories Burned Per Day
Total calories burned per day recorded on activity device. This secondary outcome was not measured in the trial.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Population: This outcome was not collected because of logistical issues with obtaining this data without using an API.
Secondary
Distance Per Day
Distance in miles recorded on activity device.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Population: This outcome was not collected because of logistical issues with obtaining this data without using an API.
Secondary
Hours of Sleep Per Night
Number of hours slept per night as recorded on activity device. This secondary outcome was not measured in the trial.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Population: This outcome was not collected because of logistical issues with obtaining this data without using an API.
Secondary
Weight
Time frame: 6 months
| Arm | Measure | Value (MEAN) | Dispersion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unblinded | Weight | 155 Pounds | Standard Deviation 28.5 |
| Blinded | Weight | 155 Pounds | Standard Deviation 26.3 |
p-value: 0.59t-test, 2 sided