Acceptability of Social Media Incentives to Increase Physical Activity

Background: Contingency management can be effective in promoting physical activity, but the change frequently does not sustain after the intervention is withdrawn. A feasible and sustainable physical activity intervention is needed. Social media may meet the criteria for a sustainable intervention, as it is free to use and enormously popular. Introduction: The goal of the current study was to assess acceptability of using social media as an incentive for a physical activity intervention. Materials and Methods: The current study surveyed 102 Mechanical Turk users on their social media use, physical activity habits, and interest in a proposed physical activity intervention. Results: There was moderate interest in social media as an incentive, with 32.35% of participants indicating initial interest in the intervention and 62.75% of participants interested in a free trial. Interest in increasing physical activity predicted interest in the intervention. Discussion and Conclusions: Social media can be an acceptable incentive for use in a physical activity intervention

Short- and long-term effects of a multi-component physical activity intervention in primary school

There is compelling evidence that physical activity has numerous health benefits during childhood and adolescence. Insufficient levels of physical activity on the other hand can consequently affect cardiovascular and bone health, which may result in severe chronic diseases later in life. Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are two of the major chronic diseases affecting a large proportion of the adult population. Both diseases have their origins in childhood and it has been shown that for both, physical activity plays an important role in their prevention. The number of children not being sufficiently active has reached an alarming level and threatens to impose major health burdens worldwide. Thus, developing effective strategies to enhance children’s physical activity levels is of paramount interest for public health. School provides an optimal setting for physical activity promotion, since all children spend a large portion of their time there. This dissertation discusses a school-based randomized controlled trial aimed at increasing children’s physical activity levels and consequently their cardiovascular and bone health. The „Kinder- und Jugendsportstudie“ (KISS) is a school-based physical activity intervention lasting one school year. Of all primary school classes in the cantons of Aargau and Baselland comprising about 10% of the Swiss population, 28 first and fifth grade classes were randomly selected and allocated into an intervention (16 classes; n=297 children) and a control (12 classes, n=205 children) group. The mandatory and stringent multi-component intervention program consisted of daily physical education lessons, daily short activity breaks during academic lessons, and physical activity homework. Children in the control group had the compulsory three physical educations per week. The aim of this dissertation was to assess the effectiveness of KISS on cardiovascular risk and bone health and to explore whether the program was sufficiently effective in order to maintain health benefits over the following three years. In addition, this dissertation will provide a systematic update of existing school-based intervention studies aiming at increasing children’s physical activity and a quantification of physical education-related physical activity. There is strong evidence that school provides a promising setting for physical activity promotion. All school-based intervention studies done in recent years showed positive effects in at least one domain of physical activity. The most successful interventions had the design of a randomized controlled trial, were done over one school year using a multi-component approach integrated into the school curriculum, taught by physical education experts and involving family members. A common intervention strategy was to increase quantity and/or quality of physical education lessons. The particular role of physical education and its contribution to overall physical activity was the center of attention in the second publication of this dissertation. Even if children’s physical activity levels during physical education are relatively low, physical education contributes substantially to overall physical activity. Due to its nature of being a randomized controlled trial in children with a stringent physical activity program in and outside physical education over one school year and with the inclusion of physical education experts, KISS had excellent pre-conditions for being an effective program. Indeed, the results after nine month of intervention are promising. Compared to controls, children of the intervention group showed 14% reduced cardiovascular risk score, 5% reduced body mass index and skinfold thickness, 6% improved aerobic fitness, 18% higher physical activity levels, and 5-8% higher bone mineral content and bone mineral density. Three years after cessation of the program, intervention children still showed higher aerobic fitness and bone mineral content levels at weight-bearing sites of the skeleton compared to the control group. All other beneficial effects have disappeared. Even if short-term effects of the intervention are promising, the major key from a public health perspective is whether the effects of the prevention done during childhood will persist into late adolescence and adulthood. Although the maintained effects on aerobic fitness and bone health have considerable impact on public health, most of the beneficial health effects were not maintained three years after the intervention. This indicates that an intervention over one year is too short for maintained overall health effects. Thus, physical activity programs throughout the school years are needed. Our findings contribute to the growing body of evidence that school-based interventions can increase children’s health; however the major challenge now, is to find effective implementation strategies to transfer such programs into the real-world setting

Fresh start: a group-based intervention to promote physical activity among college freshman

Master of ScienceDepartment of KinesiologyEmily MaileyPhysical activity levels tend to decline as students transition from high school to college, and freshmen college women may be particularly susceptible to physical activity barriers. It is possible that providing physical activity resources and support via text messages could assist freshmen women in increasing their physical activity levels. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a mobile group-based intervention for freshmen female college students on physical activity and sedentary behavior. In addition, we examined intervention effects on social support, enjoyment, and stress in this population. Freshmen females (n=30) were recruited to participate in a 9-week intervention that involved wearing a physical activity monitor for three individual weeks (week 0, week 5, and week 9) and receiving tailored weekly messages via GroupMe. Participants were randomly assigned to groups of 6-7 participants, and each group was moderated by one research assistant. GroupMe discussions were specifically formatted to provide physical activity social support, promote physical activity enjoyment, enhance knowledge about benefits of physical activity, suggest ways to decrease sedentary behavior, and increase awareness of various physical activity resources on campus, such as the recreational center. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Additionally, follow-up focus group sessions were conducted during the fall semester of the participants’ sophomore year to gain further feedback about the intervention. We hypothesized that students would demonstrate increases in physical activity, enjoyment, and social support, and decreases in sedentary behavior and stress after participating in the intervention. Results revealed no significant changes in physical activity or sedentary behavior based on objective data from the activPALs. A Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test of self-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior (International Physical Activity Questionnaire) indicated increases in self-reported sitting time from baseline to post-intervention (Z=-2.654, p<0.008). There were no significant changes in enjoyment, social support, or stress from baseline to post-intervention. A total of 10 participants attended a follow-up focus group session. Key recommendations included incorporating more face to face interaction, a change of topics within the messages to focus on more nutrition and exercise and or guided exercises, and running the intervention during the fall semester rather than the spring. Aspects of the program that participants liked the best included the feedback of activity provided by the activPAL, the idea of using GroupMe for the program, and the length of the program. Overall, results did not align with our hypotheses, but the intervention results and feedback from participants will help with intervention refinement. Future studies should continue to seek creative ways to promote physical activity in this population, with an overall purpose of sustaining physical activity habits beyond the intervention

Wearable activity technology and action-planning (WATAAP) to promote physical activity in cancer survivors: Randomised controlled trial protocol

Background/Objective: Colorectal and gynecologic cancer survivors are at cardiovascular risk due to comorbidities and sedentary behaviour, warranting a feasible intervention to increase physical activity. The Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) is a promising theoretical frame-work for health behaviour change, and wearable physical activity trackers offer a novel means of self-monitoring physical activity for cancer survivors. Method: Sixty-eight survivors of colorectal and gynecologic cancer will be randomised into 12- week intervention and control groups. Intervention group participants will receive: a Fitbit AltaTM to monitor physical activity, HAPA-based group sessions, booklet, and support phone-call. Participants in the control group will only receive the HAPA-based booklet. Physical activity (using accelerometers), blood pressure, BMI, and HAPA constructs will be assessed at baseline, 12-weeks (post-intervention) and 24-weeks (follow-up). Data analysis will use the Group x Time interaction from a General Linear Mixed Model analysis. Conclusions: Physical activity interventions that are acceptable and have robust theoretical underpinnings show promise for improving the health of cancer survivors

Pasos Hacia La Salud: a randomized controlled trial of an internet-delivered physical activity intervention for Latinas.

BackgroundInternet access has grown markedly in Latinos during the past decade. However, there have been no Internet-based physical activity interventions designed for Latinos, despite large disparities in lifestyle-related conditions, such as obesity and diabetes, particularly in Latina women. The current study tested the efficacy of a 6-month culturally adapted, individually tailored, Spanish-language Internet-based physical activity intervention.MethodsInactive Latinas (N = 205) were randomly assigned to the Tailored Physical Activity Internet Intervention or the Wellness Contact Control Internet Group. Participants in both groups received emails on a tapered schedule over 6 months to alert them to new content on the website. The primary outcome was minutes/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at 6 months as measured by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall; activity was also measured by accelerometers. Data were collected between 2011 and 2014 and analyzed in 2015 at the University of California, San Diego.ResultsIncreases in minutes/week of MVPA were significantly greater in the Intervention Group compared to the Control Group (mean difference = 50.00, SE = 9.5, p &lt; 0.01). Increases in objectively measured MVPA were also significantly larger in the Intervention Group (mean differences = 31.0, SE = 10.7, p &lt; .01). The Intervention Group was also significantly more likely to meet national physical activity guidelines at 6 months (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.46-6.66, p &lt; .05).ConclusionFindings from the current study suggest that this Internet-delivered individually tailored intervention successfully increased MVPA in Latinas compared to a Wellness Contact Control Internet Group.Trial registrationNCT01834287

Interventions for healthy eating and physical activity among obese elementary schoolchildren : observing changes of the combined effects of behavioral models

The aim of this experimental research was to examine the effectiveness of the SSII-Healthy Eating Intervention and Physical Activity intervention programs at the end of intervention implementation in term of combined effects. The sample of this study was 21 students in Sawadeewittaya School, aged 9-11 years, who met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in the study. The dependent variables included knowledge about obesity-related Type 2 diabetes, healthy eating behavior, healthy eating self-efficacy, healthy eating self-control, and BMI. The study interventions were the SSII-Healthy Eating Intervention Program, and the SSII-Physical Activity Intervention Program. Each of the two interventions was created using the self-efficacy, self-control, and implementation intention principles. The sample was first implemented with the SSII-Healthy Eating Intervention Program, followed by the SSII-Physical Activity Intervention. Data analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows. The statistical tests were descriptive statistics and One-way repeated measures ANOVA. Results showed that: 1) after the individual SSII-Healthy Eating Intervention Program; mean scores of knowledge about obesity-related Type 2 diabetes, healthy eating self-efficacy, healthy eating self-control, and healthy eating behavior significantly increased from the baseline and BMI significantly decreased. 2) The combined effect of the SSII-Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Intervention Programs on healthy eating behavior was greater than that of the individual SSII-Healthy Eating Intervention, but not for BMI

A methodological framework for capturing relative eyetracking coordinate data to determine gaze patterns and fixations from two or more observers

While physical activity during cancer treatment is found beneficial for breast cancer patients, evidence indicates ambiguous findings concerning effects of scheduled exercise programs on treatment-related symptoms. This study investigated effects of a scheduled home-based exercise intervention in breast cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy, on cancer-related fatigue, physical fitness, and activity level. Sixty-seven women were randomized to an exercise intervention group (n=33, performed strength training 3x/week and 30 minutes brisk walking/day) and a control group (n=34, performed their regular physical activity level). Data collection was performed at baseline, at completion of chemotherapy (Post1), and 6-month postchemotherapy (Post2). Exercise levels were slightly higher in the scheduled exercise group than in the control group. In both groups, cancer-related fatigue increased at Post1 but returned to baseline at Post2. Physical fitness and activity levels decreased at Post1 but were significantly improved at Post2. Significant differences between intervention and control groups were not found. The findings suggest that generally recommended physical activity levels are enough to relief cancer-related fatigue and restore physical capacity in breast cancer patients during adjuvant chemotherapy, although one cannot rule out that results reflect diminishing treatment side effects over time

Older adults' evaluations of the standard and modified pedometer-based Green Prescription

INTRODUCTION: The Green Prescription is a primary care programme designed to increase physical activity in individuals with low activity levels. Older adults tend to engage in insufficient physical activity to obtain health-related gain. AIM: To examine participants’ ratings of the Healthy Steps intervention and to assess how participants rated the use of a pedometer-based Green Prescription in aiding their physical activity. METHODS: In total, 330 community-dwelling older adults who have low levels of activity were randomised to receive either a standard time-based Green Prescription or a modified pedometer-based Green Prescription. Post-intervention, 259 participants completed the participant evaluation questionnaire via postal survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-squared analyses. RESULTS: The standard components of the Green Prescription (general practitioner consultations and telephone counselling) received similar and higher ratings across both allocation groups than the use of print materials. A pedometer-based Green Prescription was rated as being helpful in aiding physical activity. DISCUSSION: This study supports the importance of general practitioners’ initial role in prescribing physical activity for older adults and of ongoing telephone support for longer-term adherence. Incorporating a pedometer can be effective in helping low-active older adults initiate and maintain regular physical activity