move@nus: a digital intervention cohort promoting healthy movement behaviours

Conditions: Physical Inactivity; Sedentary Behavior; Sleep Insufficiency; Well-Being, Psychological

Summary: the aim of the move@nus pilot study is to determine the feasibility of establishing a digital intervention cohort to monitor and improve the health and wellbeing of students by encouraging them to engage in healthy movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sleep, and limiting smartphone-based recreational screentime). the digital intervention cohort consists of: * 6-months of continuous monitoring of movement behaviours, wellbeing and related factors via an apple watch and repeated bursts of ecological momentary assessments (emas). * 3x embedded randomised controlled trials (rcts) evaluating the efficacy of small-scale smartphone-based interventions designed to nudge participants toward participating in healthier movement behaviours.

good overall mental and physical health and wellbeing can be promoted by engaging in healthy movement behaviours - getting adequate sleep, being physically active, and minimising recreational time spent watching a screen or being sedentary. the objectives of this study are to determine the feasibility of: * establishing a digital cohort study and continuously monitoring health behaviours and wellbeing (and related factors) for 6 months, and * rapidly evaluating the effects of ecological momentary interventions (emis; small-scale interventions that provide support in real-time, delivered via the smartwatch and app) for promoting healthy movement behaviours via a series of embedded rcts. the investigators will enrol up to 150 first-year university students into an innovative hybrid study that combines a digital cohort with embedded randomised controlled trials (rcts). the digital cohort consists of 6 months of continuous observations of movement behaviours, wellbeing, and related factors via a smartwatch (apple watch) and repeated bursts of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (ema) surveys. throughout the 6-month monitoring period, participants are enrolled in 3 embedded rcts evaluating the effects of emis that, in turn, target sleep, physical activity, and smartphone-based recreational screentime. for each embedded-rct we assess engagement and acceptability outcomes (e.g., whether a push notification is opened, whether it is responded to), and preliminary efficacy (i.e., whether there is a between group difference in the target behaviour from pre- to post-intervention). participants also complete traditional questionnaires at baseline, 3-, and 6-month follow-up.

Eligibility criteria:
participants are eligible to join the study if they: * are enrolled in the first year of an undergraduate degree at the national university of singapore, * own or use an apple smartphone with a data plan, * are willing to download and use a smartphone app, and * have an apple smartwatch (series 6/se or newer) and are willing to wear it continuously for the 6-month study duration. participants will be excluded if they are: * pregnant, or * planning to be overseas for more than 6 weeks (per trip) during the upcoming semester.

Keywords: smartphone smartwatch apple watch ecological momentary assessment (ema) ecological momentary intervention (emi) mhealth digital health