Applying Mobile Persuasive Technologies to Increase Physical Activity in Women
Condition: Sedentary Lifestyle; Physical Activity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The primary purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of the mobile phone-based
      physical activity intervention on increasing physical activity compared to the control group.
    

Detailed description: 
      Physical inactivity is associated with increased risk of co-morbidity and premature
      mortality. Given the rapid growth of mobile phone technology and the increasing number of
      users, the investigators developed an interactive mobile phone-based physical activity
      intervention for sedentary women. The investigators propose to conduct a randomized,
      controlled trial to assess the efficacy of the mobile phone-based physical activity
      intervention on increasing physical activity over a 3-month period. 192 sedentary women will
      be randomized in a 2-to-1 ratio to a 3-month mobile phone-based physical activity
      intervention group or to a control group. To provide insight into how best to maximize the
      potential for sustained physical activity after completion of the 3-month program, women in
      the intervention group who complete the physical activity program will be further randomized
      into a 6-month maintenance intervention-PLUS program (pedometer plus mobile phone diary) or
      to a 6-month maintenance intervention-REGULAR program (pedometer only). Unlike a conventional
      maintenance follow-up in which all subjects continue in their respective randomization arms,
      re-randomizing subjects into either a maintenance intervention-REGULAR group or a maintenance
      intervention-PLUS group will allow us to examine the "dose-response" of the maintenance
      methods if the intervention is effective.
    

Intervention name(s): Mobile phone based physical activity intervention with maintenance plus; Mobile phone based physical activity intervention with maintenance regular; Control (pedometer only)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): This group will receive a mobile phone software program and a pedometer. Over a 3-month period, participants in this group will be asked to wear a pedometer, use a mobile phone physical activity diary, and respond daily physical activity messages or video clips. Over a 6-month maintenance period, participants will be asked to continue using a pedometer and a mobile phone physical activity diary.; This group will receive a mobile phone software program and a pedometer. Over a 3-month period, participants in this group will be asked to wear a pedometer, use a mobile phone physical activity diary, and respond daily physical activity messages or video clips. Over a 6-month maintenance period, participants will be asked to continue using a pedometer.; This group will receive a pedometer. Over a 9-month period, participants in this group will be asked to wear a pedometer.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: mobile phone; physical activity; women; maintenance; health promotion; prevention