A Randomized Trial of Behaviorally Designed Gamification and Social Incentives to Increase Physical Activity Among Overweight and Obese Veterans

NCT05554601 | Active Not Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: IIR 20-120
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 725
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Despite the many associated health benefits, more than half of Veterans do not achieve enough regular physical activity. The investigators' prior work has demonstrated that gamification, a method commonly used for health promotion, can lead to sustained increases in physical activity if it is designed using insights from behavioral economics to enhance social incentives. In this study, the investigators will compare the effectiveness of behaviorally designed gamification that encourages Veterans to collaborate or compete on physical activity levels and examine clinical outcomes as well as costs, barriers and facilitators to implementation of the program within Veterans Affairs.

Conditions

Hypertension; Obesity

Keywords

physical activity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• change in physical activity

  change in mean steps per day from baseline to end of intervention

  6 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• blood pressure

  6 months

• weight

  6 months

Study Arms (3)

attention control

NO INTERVENTION

participants receive a FitBit and set goals but do no other intervention

gamification with collaboration

EXPERIMENTAL

participants receive a FitBit and set goals, then are assigned to a group of other participants who will play a game to gain points based on collaboration with each other

Behavioral: gamification with collaboration

gamification with competition

EXPERIMENTAL

participants receive a FitBit and set goals, then are assigned to a group of other participants who will play a game to gain points based on competition with each other

Behavioral: gamification with competition

Interventions

gamification with collaboration BEHAVIORAL

participants receive a FitBit and set goals, then are assigned to a group of other participants who will play a game to gain points based on collaboration

gamification with collaboration

gamification with competition BEHAVIORAL

participants receive a FitBit and set goals, then are assigned to a group of other participants who will play a game to gain points based on competition with each other

gamification with competition

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Veterans receiving care at the CMCVAMC age 18 or older with a body mass index \> 30
• a hypertension diagnosis with systolic blood pressure \>140mm Hg
• are interested in participating in a 9-month physical activity program

You may not qualify if:

• currently participating in another physical activity research study
• any medical conditions prohibiting ambulation without assistance
• if a 9-month physical activity program is infeasible or unsafe
• if the Veteran is at a higher level of physical activity (i.e., baseline step count \>7500 steps per day)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• VA Office of Research and Development: lead

Study Sites (1)

Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-4551, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Waddell KJ, Patel MS, Clark K, Harrington TO, Greysen SR. Effect of Gamification With Social Incentives on Daily Steps After Stroke: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurol. 2022 May 1;79(5):528-530. doi: 10.1001/jamaneurol.2022.0231.

  PMID: 35344027 BACKGROUND

• Greysen SR, Waddell KJ, Patel MS. Exploring Wearables to Focus on the "Sweet Spot" of Physical Activity and Sleep After Hospitalization: Secondary Analysis. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2022 Apr 27;10(4):e30089. doi: 10.2196/30089.

  PMID: 35476034 BACKGROUND

• Largent EA, Eriksen W, Barg FK, Greysen SR, Halpern SD. Participants' Perspectives on Payment for Research Participation: A Qualitative Study. Ethics Hum Res. 2022 Nov;44(6):14-22. doi: 10.1002/eahr.500147.

  PMID: 36316972 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Hypertension; Obesity; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Overweight; Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases; Body Weight; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Scott R Greysen, MD

  Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Amol S. Navathe, MD PhD

  Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: FED
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: behavioral economics approach (gamification with social incentives)

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 21, 2022
• First Posted: September 26, 2022
• Study Start: July 17, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)