A Social Media Game to Increase Physical Activity Among Older Adult Women (CHALLENGE)

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Aging

Treatments: Behavioral: Social media game; Behavioral: Standard self-regulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04095923

R01AG064092 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

19-0158

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will test the effects of a social media game on the physical activity of older adult women. The game will consist of playful weekly challenges that require sharing photographs on a private social media group and also wearing an activity monitor to track steps. Participants will be randomized to this game group or to receive the activity monitor only.

Full description

Older adult women are at risk for negative health impacts of physical inactivity, but current strategies to increase their activity have had disappointing long-term results. The intervention tested in this study seeks to test an innovative intervention that targets older womens' perceptions of enjoyment and their personal identity and values. The investigators will test the efficacy of a 12-month social media-based physical activity intervention for sedentary older adult women. Participants will be randomized to receive a standard Fitbit-only intervention or to an enhanced Fitbit + weekly social challenges intervention. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the enhanced intervention will demonstrate greater increases in autonomous regulation and objectively-measured steps as compared to those in the standard intervention. The investigators will also measure outcomes after a 6 month maintenance period (18 months after beginning the intervention). Additional outcomes will include engagement with the social network and self-reported playful experiences.

Enrollment: 300 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 65 to 85 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. Female
2. Age between 65 and 85
3. Able to read and understand English
4. Willingness to be randomized to any condition
5. Daily availability of an iOS or Android mobile device that is capable of taking and sending photos
6. Willingness to use a private Facebook group
7. Sufficient internet access to post photos to Facebook at least once per week
8. Having an existing Facebook account or willingness to create one

Exclusion criteria

1. Unable to find transportation to the study location
2. Unable to walk for exercise (self-report)
3. Walk <475 meters in 6 minute walk test during baseline assessment
4. Stroke, hip fracture, hip or knee replacement, or spinal surgery in the past 6 months
5. Participant answered "yes" to any question on the PAR-Q+ and does not provide a doctor's note giving permission to begin a physical activity program
6. Self-reported weekly PA ≥ 150 minutes
7. BMI under 18 or over 40
8. Participant reports psychological issues that would interfere with study completion. Examples will be provided to illustrate potential psychological issues, such as dementia or schizophrenia.
9. Participant plans to move away from the Galveston-Houston area or to be out of town for more than 2 weeks at a time during the study period
10. Clinical judgment concerning safety
11. Currently participating in an organized commercial or research physical activity program
12. Uses a wearable activity monitor other than a simple pedometer and is unwilling to stop during the trial
13. Another member of the household is a participant or staff member on this trial

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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300 participants in 2 patient groups

Social media game

Experimental group

Description:

Private Facebook group with weekly walking challenges, Fitbit wearable activity monitor, and brief counseling

Treatment:

Behavioral: Social media game

Standard self-regulation

Active Comparator group

Description:

Fitbit wearable activity monitor and brief counseling

Treatment:

Behavioral: Standard self-regulation