Clinical trial NCT01142804: WalkLink: Internet-based Walking Program
Official title: WalkLink:Internet-based Walking Program for Cardiovascular Disease Risk-Reduction
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physical Activity
Keywords: Walking programs
Physical Activity
Behavior Modification
Social Support
Lead sponsor: Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2010-06-11
Enrollment: 308
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 35
Maximum age (years): 64
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The investigators propose a randomized controlled trial based on the Social Networks for Activity (SNAP) Model to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness of an internet-based fitness walking program delivered to patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke; and (2) the contribution of social support networks to enhancing the effectiveness of the internet-based fitness walking program. The investigators will recruit 308 patients who are sedentary and have risk factors for cardiovascular disease and randomly assign them to one of the following groups: 1. Internet-based fitness walking program (WalkLink); 2. Internet-based fitness walking program plus additional social network intervention (WalkLink+); and 3. Minimal treatment control.

The primary specific aims of this study are to:

1. Evaluate the effects of WalkLink and WalkLink+ relative to a minimal treatment control group on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition, and body mass index (BMI), from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.
2. Compare the differential effectiveness of WalkLink+ to WalkLink on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition and BMI from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.
3. Evaluate the mediator and moderator effects of selected individual-level self-management skills (goal setting, planning, self-monitoring), social support variables (number of activity partners, social cues for walking, social praise/reinforcement), and physical-ecological variables (neighborhood walkability, physical cues for walking) on WalkLink and WalkLink+ treatment outcomes.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Sedentary, defined as less than 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity
* Between the ages of 35 and 64
* Able to speak English
* Able to provide informed consent
* Able to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g., moderate pace walking)

Exclusion Criteria:

* No access to home or private work computer with Internet access
* Body mass index (BMI) greater than 39.9
* Systolic blood pressure \> 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mm Hg
* Bone, joint, or foot problems that interfere with walking
* Diabetes, pulmonary, or cardiovascular disease
* Consume 5 or more drinks of alcohol a day
* Currently pregnant
* Not living within the preselected study neighborhoods or plan to move from the local area during the study period

Primary outcomes:
measure: Moderate Vigorous Activity
timeFrame: 9 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Health Risk Factors
timeFrame: 9 months
Other outcomes:
measure: Environmental Factors
timeFrame: 9 months
Locations:
city: Hershey
country: United States
facility: Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
affiliation: Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center
name: Liza Rovniak, PhD, MPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Rovniak LS, Kong L, Hovell MF, Ding D, Sallis JF, Ray CA, Kraschnewski JL, Matthews SA, Kiser E, Chinchilli VM, George DR, Sciamanna CN. Engineering Online and In-Person Social Networks for Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial. Ann Behav Med. 2016 Dec;50(6):885-897. doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9814-8.
citation: Rovniak LS, Sallis JF, Kraschnewski JL, Sciamanna CN, Kiser EJ, Ray CA, Chinchilli VM, Ding D, Matthews SA, Bopp M, George DR, Hovell MF. Engineering online and in-person social networks to sustain physical activity: application of a conceptual model. BMC Public Health. 2013 Aug 14;13:753. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-753.