NCT02267369

Brief Summary

The overall objective of this research is to collect data for understanding whether messages in online environments impact fitness attitudes and behaviors. In particular, the study aims to experimentally examine what features of online social media - promotional messaging or peer networks - impact offline fitness measures (such fitness workshop enrollment and self-reported physical activity level). The study partners with an existing fitness program at a large northeastern university, which provides a 13-week fitness program for graduate and professional students at the university. The program begins with a university-run eligibility assessment of specific fitness measures for all participants, who win prizes for improvements in program participation and health behavior outcomes. The fitness program consists of semester-long series of workshops offered through the university's recreation department. The randomized trial constructs an online social media platform for the fitness program that provides a way to send either promotion health messages or messages about peer activities to the online community.

Trial Health

100
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
217

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Jan 2014

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

January 1, 2014

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 1, 2014

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2014

Completed
5 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

October 7, 2014

Completed
10 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

October 17, 2014

Completed
Last Updated

October 17, 2014

Status Verified

October 1, 2014

Enrollment Period

4 months

First QC Date

October 7, 2014

Last Update Submit

October 13, 2014

Conditions

Physical Activity

Keywords

onlinesocial mediaonline social networkphysical activitymessage

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Fitness workshop enrollment

    Participants' enrollment in fitness workshops is recorded when participants digitally confirm their workshop registration. Workshop instructors confirm the attendance of enrolled participants. Enrollment is assessed up to 3 months from date of randomization.

    Up to 3 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Change from baseline in participants' self-reported physical activity level

    Baseline and 3 months

Study Arms (3)

Basic fitness program

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The control condition provides study participants with online tools for enrolling in offline fitness workshops offered by the university's recreation department and recording their progress in the program. All fitness workshops are pre-programmed in an online calendar. Upon clicking a workshop, participants can read a detailed description and register for it directly on the calendar. The registration then triggers a confirmation email sent to the participant immediately and a reminder email 12 hours before the workshop starts. In addition, an online tracking tool is built that participants can use to keep a daily journal of their health activities and fitness status.

Behavioral: Basic fitness program

Media-assisted fitness program

EXPERIMENTAL

The media condition evaluates the effects of informational and motivational messages on physical activity by supplementing the basic program tools with promotional media, including: "high arousal" videos encouraging physical activity, real-time email notifications about upcoming fitness workshops, and informational graphics with exercise tips and motivational messages. In the media condition, participants receive two videos on the website and one informational graphic that encourage physical activity on a weekly basis.

Behavioral: Media-assisted fitness program

Social network-assisted fitness program

EXPERIMENTAL

The social condition, by contrast, omits the media content. Instead, the basic program is supplemented with a network of four to six anonymous "health peers," composed of other participants of the program. Within the program website, each participant is able to see their peers' basic profile information, as well as information about their peers' progress in the program, and real-time notifications about their peers' completion of program activities. These networks do not provide any added incentives or additional content to promote physical activity, nor can participants directly communicate with, or "message" their peers through the website.

Behavioral: Social network-assisted fitness program

Interventions

Media-assisted fitness programBEHAVIORAL

Participants can register workshops online, track program participation, and receive promotional health messages online.

Also known as: Media condition
Media-assisted fitness program
Social network-assisted fitness programBEHAVIORAL

Participants can register workshops online and track program participation. Participants are put into anonymous online social networks and receive real-time activity updates from 4-6 peers.

Also known as: Social condition
Social network-assisted fitness program
Basic fitness programBEHAVIORAL

Participants can register workshops online and track program participation.

Also known as: Control condition
Basic fitness program

Eligibility Criteria

Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Graduate and professional students at a large northeastern university.
  • Logging in to the study website at least once after online registration

You may not qualify if:

  • Inability to perform physical activities (e.g., broken limbs), and underlying diseases that were likely to affect participant safety. Ineligibility is determined by the Department of Recreation and Health Services at the university.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Related Publications (10)

  • Valle CG, Tate DF, Mayer DK, Allicock M, Cai J. A randomized trial of a Facebook-based physical activity intervention for young adult cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv. 2013 Sep;7(3):355-68. doi: 10.1007/s11764-013-0279-5. Epub 2013 Mar 27.

    PMID: 23532799BACKGROUND

  • Cavallo DN, Tate DF, Ries AV, Brown JD, DeVellis RF, Ammerman AS. A social media-based physical activity intervention: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Nov;43(5):527-32. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.07.019.

    PMID: 23079176BACKGROUND

  • Cobb NK, Graham AL. Health behavior interventions in the age of facebook. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Nov;43(5):571-2. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.08.001. No abstract available.

    PMID: 23079184BACKGROUND

  • Eysenbach G, Powell J, Englesakis M, Rizo C, Stern A. Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions. BMJ. 2004 May 15;328(7449):1166. doi: 10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1166.

    PMID: 15142921BACKGROUND

  • Centola D. The spread of behavior in an online social network experiment. Science. 2010 Sep 3;329(5996):1194-7. doi: 10.1126/science.1185231.

    PMID: 20813952BACKGROUND

  • Centola D. An experimental study of homophily in the adoption of health behavior. Science. 2011 Dec 2;334(6060):1269-72. doi: 10.1126/science.1207055.

    PMID: 22144624BACKGROUND

  • Korda H, Itani Z. Harnessing social media for health promotion and behavior change. Health Promot Pract. 2013 Jan;14(1):15-23. doi: 10.1177/1524839911405850. Epub 2011 May 10.

    PMID: 21558472BACKGROUND

  • Bennett GG, Glasgow RE. The delivery of public health interventions via the Internet: actualizing their potential. Annu Rev Public Health. 2009;30:273-92. doi: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.031308.100235.

    PMID: 19296777BACKGROUND

  • Strecher V. Internet methods for delivering behavioral and health-related interventions (eHealth). Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2007;3:53-76. doi: 10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.3.022806.091428.

    PMID: 17716048BACKGROUND

  • Zhang J, Brackbill D, Yang S, Centola D. Efficacy and causal mechanism of an online social media intervention to increase physical activity: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Prev Med Rep. 2015 Aug 13;2:651-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2015.08.005. eCollection 2015.

    PMID: 26844132DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Interventions

Social Conditions

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Socioeconomic FactorsPopulation Characteristics

Study Officials

  • Damon M. Centola, Ph.D

    Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
CARE PROVIDER, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Purpose
BASIC SCIENCE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

October 7, 2014

First Posted

October 17, 2014

Study Start

January 1, 2014

Primary Completion

May 1, 2014

Study Completion

May 1, 2014

Last Updated

October 17, 2014

Record last verified: 2014-10