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

Overview

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.

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Treatment
    • Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: January 1, 2025

Detailed 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.

Interventions

  • Behavioral: Social media game
    • Participants will engage in weekly challenges that require them to take photographs of interesting things they discover during their walks. They will post and discuss these photographs with other participants on a private social media page. They will track their steps using a wearable activity monitor and receive brief standard self-regulatory counseling.
  • Behavioral: Standard self-regulation
    • Participants will track their steps using a wearable activity monitor and receive brief standard self-regulatory counseling.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: Social media game
    • Private Facebook group with weekly walking challenges, Fitbit wearable activity monitor, and brief counseling
  • Active Comparator: Standard self-regulation
    • Fitbit wearable activity monitor and brief counseling

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 12 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 12 months
    • Mean of daily steps taken from accelerometers worn for a 7 day period

Secondary Measures

  • Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 6 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Mean of daily steps taken from accelerometers worn for a 7 day period
  • Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 18 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 18 months
    • Mean of daily steps taken from accelerometers worn for a 7 day period
  • Intrinsic regulation
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Self-reported intrinsic regulation on a scale from 0 (least motivated) to 4 (most motivated) using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire – 3
  • Integrated regulation
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Self-reported integrated regulation on a scale from 0 (least motivated) to 4 (most motivated) using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire – 3
  • Autonomous regulation
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Composite of subscales for intrinsic, integrated, and identified regulation as measured on a scale from 0 (least motivated) to 4 (most motivated) using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire – 3
  • Basic psychological needs
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness on a scale from 1 (don’t agree) to 5 (completely agree) using the Psychological Needs in Exercise Scale
  • Physical activity as measured by minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity at 6 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 6 months
    • Mean daily minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity taken from accelerometers for a 7 day period
  • Physical activity as measured by minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity at 12 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 12 months
    • Mean daily minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity taken from accelerometers for a 7 day period
  • Physical activity as measured by minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity at 18 months
    • Time Frame: Baseline to 18 months
    • Mean daily minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity physical activity taken from accelerometers for a 7 day period

Participating in This Clinical Trial

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

Gender Eligibility: Female

Participants must self-report as women

Minimum Age: 65 Years

Maximum Age: 85 Years

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston
  • Collaborator
    • National Institute on Aging (NIA)
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Sponsor
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, MPH, Principal Investigator, University of Texas
  • Overall Contact(s)
    • Eloisa Martinez, BS, 409-266-9643, esmartin@utmb.edu

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