The Physical Activity Loyalty Card Scheme (PAL)

Queen's University Belfast

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 3; Phase 2

Conditions: Physical Activity; Health Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Self-monitoring physical activity levels; Behavioral: Non-cash incentives

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01575262

PAL-v1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of using incentives to encourage adults to be physically active.

Full description

The investigators developed the Physical Activity Loyalty Card (PAL) Scheme which integrates a novel physical activity tracking system with web-based monitoring and nudge initiatives. The tracking system used Near-Field Communication (NFC) technology and a "loyalty card" (PAL Card) which contained a passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag. Sensors were placed along footpaths in the outdoor environment, in the gym and exercise studio, and participants scanned their PAL card at the sensor when doing physical activity (e.g. walking). A transaction (card ID, sensor ID, and timestamp) was recorded and sent via SMS to a secure data centre. Participants logged onto a personal account on the study website (www.palcard.co.uk) and received real-time feedback on various aspects of their physical activity including minutes, distance and calories expended.

Enrollment: 406 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• males and females
• aged 18-65 years old
• able to complete 15 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity
• based at least 4 days per week (and 6 hours per day) at worksite

Exclusion criteria

• advised by General Practitioner not to participate in exercise

Trial design

406 participants in 2 patient groups

Incentive

Experimental group

Description:

Participants use their PAL card to self-monitor physical activity levels (intrinsic motivation) and minutes of physical activity were converted to points (1 minute of physical activity = 1 point; capped at 30 points per day) over the 12-week intervention period. Points are redeemed for rewards (extrinsic motivation) at week 6 and week 12.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Non-cash incentives

No Incentive

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants used their PAL card to self-monitor their physical activity levels (intrinsic motivation) over the 12-week intervention period but do not collect points or earn rewards.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Self-monitoring physical activity levels