The aim of this smartphone-based intervention study is to determine whether a newly developed app is effective in promoting an active lifestyle in low educated working young adults.
A stepwise approach was used to develop a new native Android smartphone app (Active Coach). This app aims to promote an active lifestyle (through physical activity and active transport) in low educated working young adults. The development of this app is based on theory, evidence and user's experiences. The app focuses on four determinants (knowledge, attitude (perceived benefits and perceived barriers), social support and self-efficacy) and includes several behavioral change techniques (self-monitoring, goal-setting, feedback on behavior, review behavior goals, instruction on how to perform the behavior, information about health consequences, enhancing network linkages and prompts/cues). Furthermore, the app works in combinations with a wearable activity tracker (Fitbit Charge) to track users activity behavior. For the smartphone-based intervention, 120 low educated working young adults are being recruited via purposeful convenience sampling though companies and employers. Participants can not have any medical conditions that prevent them from being physically active and they need to own an Android smartphone. Fitbit Charge activity trackers will be provided. The participants will be randomly divided in the intervention group or the standard information control group. The intervention period will be nine weeks. At the beginning and the end of the intervention period, physical activity levels will be objectively measured with accelerometers. Follow-up measurements will be conducted 12 weeks after the end of the intervention period.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
130
Ghent University
Ghent, Belgium
change in physical activity: objective
physical activity will be objectively measured by accelerometers (Actigraph)
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
change in physical activity: self-reported
physical activity will be measured via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, long version)
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
Change in perceived benefits towards physical activity and active transport
benefits will be measured via fifteen items with a five-point answer format
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
Change in perceived barriers towards physical activity and active transport
barriers will be measured via fifteen items with a five-point answer format
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
Change in social support towards physical activity and active transport
social support will be measured via nine items with a five-point answer format
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
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Change in self-efficacy towards physical activity and active transport
self-efficacy will be measured via eight items with a five-point answer format
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)
Change in knowledge towards physical activity and active transport
knowledge will be measured via one item with a six-point answer format
Time frame: The outcome will be measured at baseline (before start intervention), posttest (9 weeks after the start of the intervention) and follow-up (12 weeks after the posttest)