Physical Activity Variety's Impact on Physical Activity Participation

University of Minnesota (UMN)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Inactivity

Treatments: Behavioral: Physical activity variety intervention; Behavioral: Physical activity consistency comparison condition

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05930431

U_of_Minnesota_PA_Variety

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary purpose of the proposed study is to examine the effect of a home-based physical activity variety intervention on objectively measured physical activity in an eight-week randomized intervention trial.

Full description

The primary purpose of the proposed study is to examine the effect of a home-based physical activity variety intervention on objectively measured physical activity in an eight-week randomized intervention trial. Early research on physical activity variety has observed increased physical activity participation, motivation, and enjoyment as a result of physical activity variety. However, previous studies examining variety have not included home-based interventions, objective measures of physical activity, or cardiovascular fitness classes.

Forty low-active college students will be randomly assigned to either an eight-week physical activity variety intervention (n=20) or a physical activity consistency comparison condition (n=20). Physical activity will be assessed via an accelerometer (e.g., Actigraph) at baseline and eight weeks, and psychosocial variables at baseline, four weeks, and eight weeks (i.e., post-intervention). Affect will be assessed at one, four, and eight weeks. Participants will receive counseling sessions and access to a website containing workouts appropriate to their condition.

Enrollment: 47 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Engaged in no or low levels of physical activity (less than 90 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity per week)
• Capable of completing a 30-minute session of physical activity
• 18-25 years of age old

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant individuals
• Cannot read in English
• No access to the internet
• Healthcare providers have instructed them not to be active
• Any medical condition that would make physical activity unsafe or unwise

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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47 participants in 2 patient groups

Physical activity variety intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in the variety condition will be sent the link to their condition's website via email. The variety website will contain nine distinct high intensity interval training (HIIT) videos. The videos will be 30-minutes containing a five-minute warm-up, 20-minute workout, and a five-minute cool down. The website will emphasize the importance of having variety in one's physical activity routine. This will include reminders to have variety in selected workouts and the benefits associated with doing so. This emphasis will be supported through the counseling sessions provided to participants in the variety condition.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Physical activity variety intervention

Physical activity consistency comparison condition

Active Comparator group

Description:

Upon the completion of randomization, participants in the consistency condition will be sent the link to their condition's website via email. The consistency website will contain one HIIT video. The video will be 30-minutes and include a five-minute warm-up, 20-minute workout, and a five-minute cool down. The website will emphasize the importance of having consistency in one's physical activity routine. This will include reminders to be consistent in workouts and the benefits associated with doing so (Guiney \& Machado, 2013). This emphasis will be supported through the counseling sessions provided to participants in the consistency condition.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Physical activity consistency comparison condition