Testing the Efficacy of an Online Social Network Intervention to Increase Social Support for Physical Activity

Obesity Clinical Trial

— INSHAPE  

Official title:

Using Facebook to Increase Social Support for Physical Activity: The INSHAPE Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01421758
• Other study ID #: 10-1122
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: August 19, 2011
• Last updated: April 15, 2016
• Start date: December 2010
• Est. completion date: May 2011

Study information

• Verified date: August 2011
• Source: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Institutional Review Board
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

This study was designed to determine whether participation in an online social network intervention increases perceived social support for physical activity versus a minimal education control group by conducting a randomized controlled trial with 140 female undergraduate students. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the physical activity centered online social network intervention group will have greater increases in perceived social support for physical activity compared to minimal web based physical activity education controls.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 134
• Est. completion date: May 2011
• Est. primary completion date: April 2011
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 17 Years to 24 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• female

• under the age of 25

• currently enrolled full time or part time student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• classified as an undergraduate

• answers no to all questions on an exercise risk factor questionnaire (PAR-Q) or is cleared in writing by a physician to participate in an independent exercise program

• a score of less than 3 on the SCOFF eating disorders questionnaire

• less than 30 minutes per day of self reported moderate or vigorous physical activity

• regular Facebook use as defined by self reported owning of an account and use of at least 30 minutes per day

• willing to provide informed consent

• willing to participate in the intervention

• literate in the English language.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cancer
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Obesity

Intervention

Behavioral:
• online social network enrollment plus education and self monitoring
Participants are enrolled in an online social network designed to increase social support for physical activity and will self monitor physical activity and receive educational materials at a dedicated study website.
• Web education control
Participants will receive access to a dedicated study website where they can view educational materials related to physical activity

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	Chapel Hill	North Carolina

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Mean perceived social support for physical activity scores on the Peer/Friend Support for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Scale.	The primary outcome measure is the mean score of a 19 item, 7 point scale that measures the frequency of social support interactions over the previous 6 weeks.	10 weeks	No
Secondary	Physical activity in kilocalories on the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire/College Alumnus Questionnaire		12 weeks	No