Tying Devices as a Means of Increasing Exercise

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The investigators propose that healthy behaviors such as exercise could be increased through the use of tying devices - mechanisms that force a coupling of addictive activities (listening to the next chapter of a page-turner novel) with engagement in a healthy behavior (exercise).

Detailed Description
-----------------
The study will test the effect of the following treatments as a means of increasing gym attendance over 10 weeks: 1. Participants receive access to 4 iTunes audio novels on their own iPods and prompted to listen to those novels only when exercising at the gym; 2: Participants receive 4 iTunes audio novels for a loaned iPod that they will only have access to at the gym; 3: Participants receive weekly emails asking them about their exercise.

Official Title
-----------------
Tying Devices as a Means of Increasing Exercise

Conditions
-----------------
Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Control
* Behavioral: Suggested Tying Intervention
* Behavioral: Forced Tying Intervention


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: Stable health as determined by the screening of their medical history Own an iPod An interest in exercising more regularly Belong to the Pottruck Gym at University of Pennsylvania Interested in exercising more through the use of aerobic exercise machines Exclusion Criteria: Recent myocardial infraction congestive heart failure uncontrolled hypertension self-report of 6 or more alcoholic beverages per day or use of any illicit drugs bulimia nervosa or related behaviors diabetes medication

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Suggested Tying<br>Receive same treatments as control group, but instead of receiving cash they receive 4 iTunes audio novels for their own iPods. Further, they are prompted to try to listen to those novels only when exercising at the gym in order to increase their attendance. | Behavioral: Suggested Tying Intervention<br>* Participants receive 4 iTunes audio novels for their own iPods to listen to only at the gym<br>|
| Experimental: Forced Tying<br>Receives same treatment as the control group. However, in addition to receiving the cash, they also receive 4 iTunes audio novels for a loaned iPod that they will only have access to at the gym. They are told they may only listen to these novels only when at the gym in order to increase their attendance. | Behavioral: Forced Tying Intervention<br>* Participants receive cash and also 4 iTunes audio novels for a loaned iPod accessible only at the gym to listen to only at the gym.<br>|
| Experimental: Control<br>Control group of participants who do not receive any intervention but are weighed at the beginning and end of a 10 week period and receive weekly emails asking them about their exercise. They also receive the equivalent cash value of 4 iTunes audio novels | Behavioral: Control<br>* Receive weekly emails asking participants about their exercise and receive cash.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Average Weekly Gym Attendance From Baseline to Week 9 |  | 9 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Dollar Amount Participants Would Pay for Enrollment | Willingness to pay is measured as the dollar amount a participant would pay to be enrolled in a program such as the treatment. Participant who would pay more are said to be more willing to pay, as opposed to those who would pay less or not at all. | 9 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Interest in exercising more