A Randomized Trial of Economic Incentives to Promote Walking Among Full Time Employees
Condition: Physical Activity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study aims to assess the uptake, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of a scalable
      walking programme for full-time employees both with and without incentives.
    

Detailed description: 
      The first part of this study comprises an in-home face-to-face survey with 950 full-time
      employees in Singapore. The survey aims to identify what an optimal programme might look like
      and to quantify the potential uptake of the programme, if offered. Stated preference conjoint
      analysis, which assesses individual preferences for attributes of specific programmes, will
      be used.

      The second part of this study is a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of a 12-month walking
      programme. Up to 800 full-time employees will be recruited and allocated to one of four
      research arms: Control Group, Programme Only Group, Cash Incentive Group and Charitable
      Incentive Group. Participants in the intervention arms will be asked to track their physical
      activities using Fitbit Zip, a wireless pedometer, which automatically uploads the data to a
      custom website. Those in the incentive arms will earn money or raise money for charities if
      they meet weekly exercise targets. Those in the control and Programme Only groups with
      receive a weekly payment for participation. Incentives and participation payment will be
      provided from months 1 - 6, after which they will be withdrawn.

      The key outcome variable of the RCT is defined as bouts (in minutes) of moderate to vigorous
      physical activity ("MVPA bouts") as measured via accelerometry. Data will be collected at
      baseline and month 6 and 12 assessments.

      Findings from the RCT will also be used to determine the cost to employers of implementing
      each programme and the incremental cost-effectiveness of the incentive programmes compared to
      the basic programme without incentives. The primary hypotheses are that the basic programme
      will have lower costs per person than the cash or charity programmes, but that the incentive
      programmes will be more cost-effective relative to the less expensive and less effective
      basic programme.
    

Intervention name(s): Fitbit; Cash Incentives; Charitable Incentives; Usual Care
Intervention type(s): Device; Behavioral; Behavioral; Other
Intervention description(s): Fitbit Zip is a wireless pedometer that tracks steps of participants, and will be offered in conjunction with a tailored website with customized information for participants, employers, and/or charities.; Incentives will be awarded to participants for meeting specified weekly step goals as measured by a pedometer.; Incentives will be awarded to charities selected by participants should the latter meet specified weekly step goals measured by a pedometer.; The "usual care" programme consists of educational materials designed by the Singapore Health Promotion Board. It includes material on how to stay active, walking programmes, and healthy eating.
Other intervention name(s): Fitbit Zip; Wireless pedometer; Physical activity tracker;; Money, Cash, Financial Incentives; Donations, Charity; Educational Programme; Health Promotion Board
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Keywords: Physical Activity/Walking; Full-time employees; RCT; Incentives; Wireless pedometer