Physical Activity
Conditions
Keywords
intervention, mHealth, physical activity, active transport, smartphone, application
Brief summary
The aim of this smartphone-based intervention study is to determine whether a newly developed app is effective in promoting an active lifestyle in low educated working young adults.
Detailed description
A stepwise approach was used to develop a new native Android smartphone app (Active Coach). This app aims to promote an active lifestyle (through physical activity and active transport) in low educated working young adults. The development of this app is based on theory, evidence and user's experiences. The app focuses on four determinants (knowledge, attitude (perceived benefits and perceived barriers), social support and self-efficacy) and includes several behavioral change techniques (self-monitoring, goal-setting, feedback on behavior, review behavior goals, instruction on how to perform the behavior, information about health consequences, enhancing network linkages and prompts/cues). Furthermore, the app works in combinations with a wearable activity tracker (Fitbit Charge) to track users activity behavior. For the smartphone-based intervention, 120 low educated working young adults are being recruited via purposeful convenience sampling though companies and employers. Participants can not have any medical conditions that prevent them from being physically active and they need to own an Android smartphone. Fitbit Charge activity trackers will be provided. The participants will be randomly divided in the intervention group or the standard information control group. The intervention period will be nine weeks. At the beginning and the end of the intervention period, physical activity levels will be objectively measured with accelerometers. Follow-up measurements will be conducted 12 weeks after the end of the intervention period.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALsmartphone based intervention with Active Coach app
Sponsors
Fund for Scientific Research, Flanders, Belgium
University Ghent
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
pre, post, follow up measurements with an intervention and control group
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 28 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* between 18 and 28 years old * low educated (maximum secondary school, no higher education (university or college) * employed * dutch speaking * owning an Android smartphone
Exclusion criteria
* being very physically active (already reaching the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity a day)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| change in physical activity: objective | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | physical activity will be objectively measured by accelerometers (Actigraph) |
| change in physical activity: self-reported | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | physical activity will be measured via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, long version) |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in social support towards physical activity and active transport | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | social support will be measured via nine items with a five-point answer format |
| Change in perceived benefits towards physical activity and active transport | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | benefits will be measured via fifteen items with a five-point answer format |
| Change in knowledge towards physical activity and active transport | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | knowledge will be measured via one item with a six-point answer format |
| Change in self-efficacy towards physical activity and active transport | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | self-efficacy will be measured via eight items with a five-point answer format |
| Change in perceived barriers towards physical activity and active transport | The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest) | barriers will be measured via fifteen items with a five-point answer format |
Countries
Belgium
Outcome results
None listed