Physical Activity
Conditions
Brief summary
The investigators are interested in using personalized, self-motivating messages to motivate people to exercise more.
Detailed description
The investigators are interested in using personalized, self-motivating messages to motivate people to exercise more. Through a partnership with a university, the investigators are running a large-scale, randomized field controlled trial aimed at increasing exercise frequencies during a 100-day challenge. The primary purpose of this study is to test whether sending people motivating messages they wrote to themselves in the past can keep them engaged in the challenge and motivate them to exercise more frequently. One week into the challenge, employees who have signed up for the challenge will receive an email inviting them to participate in a short activity. Employees who click on the link will be directed to a survey. Once they finish reading the first introductory page and click next, they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the control group, employees will be encouraged to write down what they think will motivate them to walk more after 20, 50, and 90 days into the Challenge. These employees will receive standard reminders on the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the challenge. In the treatment group, employees will be encouraged to write down motivating messages that they will receive on the 20th, 50th, and 90th day of the Challenge. All employees who are exposed to either the control or the treatment condition will be included in the analysis. The investigators plan to explore moderators based on (a) employees' demographics (age, gender, ethnicity, position), (b) employees' participation in previous challenges, and (c) employees' health condition and fitness level prior to the challenge (such as how actively they have been participating in other wellness activities, their health statistics).
Interventions
BEHAVIORALDrafting Motivational Messages
Write down three motivating messages
BEHAVIORALControl Reminders
Receive standard reminders at three points during the challenge
BEHAVIORALTreatment Reminders
Receive reminders containing the messages they leave themselves at three points during the challenge
Sponsors
University of California, Los Angeles
Washington University School of Medicine
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Employees who click on the link inviting them to participate in an activity and are assigned to either the treatment or control condition
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Activity Level | Through study completion, 100 days | Number of steps taken each day, as recorded in participants' online portal. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | After the 100-day challenge ends | Most recent BMI in pounds (weight) and inches (height) as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal. |
| Cholesterol | After the 100-day challenge ends | Most recent total, low, and high cholesterol levels in mg/dl as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal. |
| Blood Pressure | After the 100-day challenge ends | Most recent systolic and diastolic levels in mmHg as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal. |
| Stress | After the 100-day challenge ends | Most recent self-reported stress level on a 1-5 scale (with 1 indicating Relaxed and 5 indicating Highly Stressed) as entered by participant, an expected average of 2 months after study start. Obtaining the data is dependent on the ability to obtain the data from the online portal. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed