Project Step II: The Effects of Incentives and Feedback on Promoting Walking Within Overweight and Obese Adults

Physical Activity Clinical Trial

Official title:

Project Step II: The Effects of Incentives and Feedback on Promoting Walking Within Overweight and Obese Adults

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03574519
• Other study ID #: 1601004185-2
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 1, 2017
• Est. completion date: January 30, 2018

Study information

• Verified date: June 2018
• Source: Drexel University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial 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.

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.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 61
• Est. completion date: January 30, 2018
• Est. primary completion date: January 30, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 70 Years

Eligibility

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

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Overweight
• Overweight and Obesity
• Physical Activity
• Sedentary Lifestyle

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Non-contingent incentives
Incentives are provided for participation
• Contingent incentives
Incentives are provided for attaining daily goals
• Weekly feedback
Text message feedback is delivered weekly summarizing the past week's progress
• Daily feedback
Text message feedback is delivered daily summarizing the current day's progress

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Drexel University	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania

Sponsors (4)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Drexel University	American College of Sports Medicine, Psi Chi, Qualtrics

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Step counts	Average daily step counts	Change from baseline to end of 6-week intervention
Secondary	Step counts	Average daily step counts	Change from end of intervention to end of 2-week follow-up
Secondary	Step counts		Daily change during 6-week intervention