WalkLink: Internet-based Walking Program

NCT01142804 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: IRB-31708
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 308
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The investigators propose a randomized controlled trial based on the Social Networks for Activity (SNAP) Model to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness of an internet-based fitness walking program delivered to patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke; and (2) the contribution of social support networks to enhancing the effectiveness of the internet-based fitness walking program. The investigators will recruit 308 patients who are sedentary and have risk factors for cardiovascular disease and randomly assign them to one of the following groups: 1. Internet-based fitness walking program (WalkLink); 2. Internet-based fitness walking program plus additional social network intervention (WalkLink+); and 3. Minimal treatment control. The primary specific aims of this study are to:

1. 1.Evaluate the effects of WalkLink and WalkLink+ relative to a minimal treatment control group on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition, and body mass index (BMI), from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.
2. 2.Compare the differential effectiveness of WalkLink+ to WalkLink on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition and BMI from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.
3. 3.Evaluate the mediator and moderator effects of selected individual-level self-management skills (goal setting, planning, self-monitoring), social support variables (number of activity partners, social cues for walking, social praise/reinforcement), and physical-ecological variables (neighborhood walkability, physical cues for walking) on WalkLink and WalkLink+ treatment outcomes.

Conditions

Physical Activity

Keywords

Walking programs; Physical Activity; Behavior Modification; Social Support

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Moderate Vigorous Activity

  Change in Moderate Vigorous Activity will be assessed using Actigraph accelerometers

  9 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Health Risk Factors

  9 months

Other Outcomes (1)

• Environmental Factors

  9 months

Study Arms (3)

Enhanced Usual Care Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received weekly emailed tips of the week to provide support for walking.

Behavioral: Group

WalkLink Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received weekly emailed tips of the week, plus evidence-based online fitness walking program.

Behavioral: Group

WalkLink+ Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received weekly emailed tips, plus evidence-based online fitness walking program, plus online/in-person social network intervention.

Behavioral: Group

Interventions

Group BEHAVIORAL

Walking programs with various levels of support will be administered to determine which one is most effective.

Also known as: Enhanced Usual Care, WalkLink, WalkLink+

Enhanced Usual Care Group; WalkLink Group; WalkLink+ Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 35 Years - 64 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Sedentary, defined as less than 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity
• Between the ages of 35 and 64
• Able to speak English
• Able to provide informed consent
• Able to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g., moderate pace walking)

You may not qualify if:

• No access to home or private work computer with Internet access
• Body mass index (BMI) greater than 39.9
• Systolic blood pressure \> 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mm Hg
• Bone, joint, or foot problems that interfere with walking
• Diabetes, pulmonary, or cardiovascular disease
• Consume 5 or more drinks of alcohol a day
• Currently pregnant
• Not living within the preselected study neighborhoods or plan to move from the local area during the study period

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Milton S. Hershey Medical Center: lead

Study Sites (1)

Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Rovniak LS, Kong L, Hovell MF, Ding D, Sallis JF, Ray CA, Kraschnewski JL, Matthews SA, Kiser E, Chinchilli VM, George DR, Sciamanna CN. Engineering Online and In-Person Social Networks for Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial. Ann Behav Med. 2016 Dec;50(6):885-897. doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9814-8.

  PMID: 27405724 DERIVED

• Rovniak LS, Sallis JF, Kraschnewski JL, Sciamanna CN, Kiser EJ, Ray CA, Chinchilli VM, Ding D, Matthews SA, Bopp M, George DR, Hovell MF. Engineering online and in-person social networks to sustain physical activity: application of a conceptual model. BMC Public Health. 2013 Aug 14;13:753. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-753.

  PMID: 23945138 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Interventions

Population Groups

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Demography; Population Characteristics

Study Officials

• Liza Rovniak, PhD, MPH

  Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2010
• First Posted: June 11, 2010
• Study Start: August 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2012
• Study Completion: August 1, 2012
• Last Updated: August 13, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-08

Locations

US (1)