NCT03574519

Project Step II: The Effects of Incentives and Feedback on Promoting Walking Within Overweight and Obese Adults

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 61 (actual)
• Sponsor: Drexel University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 70 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will evaluate the main effects of daily vs. weekly feedback and contingent vs. non-contingent incentives for increasing walking behavior among overweight and obese adults.

Detailed description

Approximately 68% of adults are overweight or obese, which is associated with increased risk for health conditions, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. These individuals are more often sedentary than the general population, which compounds the risk for these same conditions. While the benefits of engaging in physical activity are well-established, few individuals are able to successfully increase activity to recommended levels. Existing intervention programs, often derived from theories such as social cognitive theory or related theories, have had limited success. Behavioral economics offers a promising alternative, suggesting that engagement in any behavior is based on the maximizing utility and happiness (i.e., weighing the cost and benefit of the behavior). Interventions based on this theory aim to increase the immediate benefit of engaging in physical activity, often using a financial incentive. This study will last for 8 weeks. All participants will have the use of a FitBit for ongoing self-monitoring and a personalized step-count goal designed to help increase daily steps. Participants will receive feedback on reaching their goals either daily or weekly.

Conditions

• Physical Activity
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Overweight and Obesity

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Non-contingent incentives	Incentives are provided for participation
BEHAVIORAL	Contingent incentives	Incentives are provided for attaining daily goals
BEHAVIORAL	Weekly feedback	Text message feedback is delivered weekly summarizing the past week's progress
BEHAVIORAL	Daily feedback	Text message feedback is delivered daily summarizing the current day's progress

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-06-01
• Primary completion: 2018-01-30
• Completion: 2018-01-30
• First posted: 2018-07-02
• Last updated: 2018-07-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States