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

NCT04095923 | Active Not Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 19-0158R01AG064092
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 300
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Aging

Keywords

Physical activity; Social media; Wearable; Intrinsic motivation; Game; Women's health

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 12 months

  Mean of daily steps taken from accelerometers worn for a 7 day period

  Baseline to 12 months

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 6 months

  Baseline to 6 months

• Walking physical activity as measured by daily steps at 18 months

  Baseline to 18 months

• Intrinsic regulation

  Baseline to 6 months

• Integrated regulation

  Baseline to 6 months

• Autonomous regulation

  Baseline to 6 months

Other Outcomes (8)

• Exercise identity

  Baseline to 6 months

• Engaged living

  Baseline to 6 months

• Playful experiences

  Baseline to 6 months

Study Arms (2)

Social media game

EXPERIMENTAL

Private Facebook group with weekly walking challenges, Fitbit wearable activity monitor, and brief counseling

Behavioral: Social media game

Standard self-regulation

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Fitbit wearable activity monitor and brief counseling

Behavioral: Standard self-regulation

Interventions

Social media game BEHAVIORAL

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.

Social media game

Standard self-regulation BEHAVIORAL

Participants will track their steps using a wearable activity monitor and receive brief standard self-regulatory counseling.

Standard self-regulation

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years - 85 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Participants must self-report as women
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Female
• Age between 65 and 85
• Able to read and understand English
• Willingness to be randomized to any condition
• Daily availability of an iOS or Android mobile device that is capable of taking and sending photos
• Willingness to use a private Facebook group
• Sufficient internet access to post photos to Facebook at least once per week
• Having an existing Facebook account or willingness to create one

You may not qualify if:

• Unable to find transportation to the study location
• Unable to walk for exercise (self-report)
• Walk \<475 meters in 6 minute walk test during baseline assessment
• Stroke, hip fracture, hip or knee replacement, or spinal surgery in the past 6 months
• 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
• Self-reported weekly PA ≥ 150 minutes
• BMI under 18 or over 40
• Participant reports psychological issues that would interfere with study completion. Examples will be provided to illustrate potential psychological issues, such as dementia or schizophrenia.
• 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
• Clinical judgment concerning safety
• Currently participating in an organized commercial or research physical activity program
• Uses a wearable activity monitor other than a simple pedometer and is unwilling to stop during the trial
• Another member of the household is a participant or staff member on this trial

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston: lead
• National Institute on Aging (NIA): collaborator
• M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The University of Texas Medical Branch

Galveston, Texas, 77550, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Robertson MC, Swartz MC, Basen-Engquist KM, Li Y, Jennings K, Thompson D, Baranowski T, Volpi E, Lyons EJ. A social media game to increase physical activity among older adult women: protocol of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate CHALLENGE. BMC Public Health. 2024 Aug 12;24(1):2172. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-19662-9.

  PMID: 39135010 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Elizabeth Lyons, PhD, MPH

  University of Texas

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 17, 2019
• First Posted: September 19, 2019
• Study Start: December 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: August 13, 2025
• Study Completion: February 28, 2026
• Last Updated: September 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, SAP
• Time Frame: Data will only be available upon request
• Access Criteria: All external investigators must submit a written request identifying their research question(s) and specifying the data they would like to analyze. The request must include a data security plan and explanation of how the data will be stored and who will have access. All requests will be reviewed by the investigators in conjunction with UTMB's Institute for Translational Sciences key resources (in particular, the regulatory and ethics resources) to be sure appropriate NIH requirements are followed.

Locations

US (1)