Clinical trial NCT03574519: Project Step II: The Effects of Incentives and Feedback on Promoting Walking Within Overweight and Obese Adults
Official title: Project Step II: The Effects of Incentives and Feedback on Promoting Walking Within Overweight and Obese Adults
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physical Activity
Sedentary Lifestyle
Overweight and Obesity
Lead sponsor: Drexel University
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Psi Chi
name: Qualtrics
name: American College of Sports Medicine
First posted: 2018-07-02
Enrollment: 61
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 70
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This study will evaluate the main effects of daily vs. weekly feedback and contingent vs. non-contingent incentives for increasing walking behavior among overweight and obese adults.

Detailed description: Approximately 68% of adults are overweight or obese, which is associated with increased risk for health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. These individuals are more often sedentary than the general population, which compounds the risk for these same conditions. While the benefits of engaging in physical activity are well-established, few individuals are able to successfully increase activity to recommended levels. Existing intervention programs, often derived from theories such as social cognitive theory or related theories, have had limited success. Behavioral economics offers a promising alternative, suggesting that engagement in any behavior is based on the maximizing utility and happiness (i.e., weighing the cost and benefit of the behavior). Interventions based on this theory aim to increase the immediate benefit of engaging in physical activity, often using a financial incentive.

This study will last for 8 weeks. All participants will have the use of a FitBit for ongoing self-monitoring and a personalized step-count goal designed to help increase daily steps. Participants will receive feedback on reaching their goals either daily or weekly.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* 25 kg/m2 ≤ BMI ≤ 45 kg/m2
* Age 18-70
* Currently inactive (engages in less than 6,000 steps/day on at least 4 of 7 days per week OR engaged in less than 10,000 steps /day on at least 5/7 days per week, confirmed by FitBit at baseline)
* Able to engage in moderate amount of walking
* Able to receive email/text messages from study staff

Exclusion Criteria:

* Psychiatric conditions that would make it difficult to comply
* Medical conditions that would make it difficult to comply

Primary outcomes:
measure: Step counts
timeFrame: Change from baseline to end of 6-week intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Step counts
timeFrame: Change from end of intervention to end of 2-week follow-up
measure: Step counts
timeFrame: Daily change during 6-week intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Philadelphia
country: United States
facility: Drexel University
state: Pennsylvania
Study officials:
References:
citation: Kerrigan SG, Forman EM, Williams D, Patel M, Loyka C, Zhang F, Crosby RD, Butryn ML. Project Step: A Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effects of Frequent Feedback and Contingent Incentives on Physical Activity. J Phys Act Health. 2021 Mar 1;18(3):247-253. doi: 10.1123/jpah.2020-0198. Epub 2021 Feb 17.