Prescription of Physical Exercise Through Mobile Application in Elderly (PEME)

University of the Balearic Islands

Status: Completed

Conditions: Aerobic Exercise; Resistance Training; Cell Phones; Prescriptions; Motor Activity; Aged; Muscle Strenght; Mobile Applications

Treatments: Other: Training group; Other: Mobile group; Other: Control group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02327975

I+D

Details and patient eligibility

About

Physical inactivity is a health problem that affects people worldwide and has been identified as the fourth largest risk factor for overall mortality (contributing to 6% of deaths globally). Many researchers have tried to increase physical activity (PA) levels through traditional methods without much success. Thus, many researchers are turning to mobile technology as an emerging method for changing health behaviours.The study consists of a physical activity intervention through a mobile application in elderly. The study is a 3x2 model, in which the sample is distributed in three study groups (over 53 years) and were evaluated at 10 weeks from baseline.

Full description

Objectives of the study:

• Evaluate effectiveness of a physical exercise program for 10 weeks to improve fitness, cardiovascular, anthropometric and body composition parameters in people over 53 years.
• Examine effects of exercise intervention delivered through a mobile application (WhatsApp) on fitness, cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric and body composition in people over 53 years.

Hypotheses of the study:

• An intervention of exercise administered via mobile application (WhatsApp) is effective in reducing cardiovascular risk factors in people over 53 years.
• An intervention of exercise administered via mobile application (WhatsApp) is effective to increase physical fitness in people over 53 years.
• An intervention of exercise administered via mobile application (WhatsApp) is effective in reducing BMI, percent body fat; and in increasing the percentage of muscle mass in people over 53 years.
• 10-weeks face-to-face intervention of physical exercise obtains greater improvements in fitness parameters than an intervention delivered via mobile application in people over 53 years.
• 10-weeks face-to-face intervention of physical exercise obtains greater improvements in anthropometric and body composition than an intervention delivered via mobile application in people over 53 years.

Enrollment: 48 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 53+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Have own mobile phone and Internet
• Be clinically stable
• Be able to perform physical activity
• Be able to understand and complete the informed consent
• Ability to cope assessment tests

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to perform physical activity
• Have an acute or chronic disease
• Have medical conditions or other physical problem that needs special attention (history of fracture of any upper or lower limb, dementia, psychological problems, neuromuscular disease, history of myocardial infarction, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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48 participants in 3 patient groups

Training group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this group received twice-weekly non-consecutive sessions of physical exercise for 10 weeks. Each session lasted approximately 60-70 minutes. Exercise program consisted of strength training and aerobic exercise. Each session began with a warm low intensity (10 min), then the main part of the session (25 min) and aerobic training and recovery period (25-35 min) was performed. The equipment used during the procedure was the Thera-Band elastic band.

Treatment:

Other: Training group

Mobile group

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention content was the same in both intervention arms; only the delivery mode differed. Participants in this group received two podcast (digital multimedia file available for download in a media player) per week for 10 weeks of the intervention, each podcast lasted about 5 min. Participants in this group received a weekly message with the aim of fostering motivation toward physical activity. Subjects in this group performed two sessions per week on non-consecutive days, the days could be chosen by the participants themselves.

Treatment:

Other: Mobile group

Control group

Other group

Description:

No received intervention.

Treatment:

Other: Control group