Intervention to Improve 24-Hour Movement Behaviors in University Students

NCT07393698 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: SCNU-SPT-2023-17522YJC890050
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 50
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study examined whether a personalized, WeChat-based behavioural intervention could help improve how university students allocate their time across daily movement behaviours, including physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. University students were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group received individualized guidance, feedback, and behaviour-change support delivered through WeChat. The intervention was designed to help participants develop more balanced daily movement behaviour patterns within a 24-hour day. Participants in the control group continued their usual routines without receiving intervention materials. The primary outcome of the study was the time-use composition of 24-hour movement behaviours, reflecting how daily time was distributed across physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Psychological factors related to behaviour regulation, such as motivation, planning, and habit, were also assessed. The results of this study aim to inform the development of theory-informed, personalized digital interventions that support healthier daily movement behaviour patterns among university students.

Conditions

Physical Activity; Sedentary Behaviour; Sleep

Keywords

time allocation; 24-hour movement behaviour

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Time allocation of 24-hour movement behaviour

  Time allocation of 24-hour movement behaviours was objectively assessed using a waist-worn ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer worn continuously for seven consecutive days.

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Affective attitude toward healthy 24-hour movement behaviour time allocation (Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire)

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

• Instrumental attitude toward Healthy 24-Hour Movement Behaviour Time Allocation (Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire)

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

• Perceived capability toward healthy 24-hour movement behaviour time allocation (Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire)

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

• intention toward healthy 24-hour movement behaviour time allocation (Theory of Planned Behaviour Questionnaire)

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

• Perceived opportunity toward healthy 24-hour movement behaviour time allocation (Multi-Process Action Control Questionnaire)

  Baseline, Week 8 (post-intervention), and Week 16 (follow-up)

Study Arms (2)

24-hour Movement Behaviour Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Personalized one-on-one guidance was delivered via WeChat twice weekly, with each session lasting approximately 15 minutes. Guidance content was individualized based on participants' baseline 24-hour movement behaviour profiles, with the explicit aim of promoting more optimal time-use patterns across daily behaviours. In addition, participants were invited to attend weekly, 30-minute offline group jogging sessions, during which heart rate was maintained within individually prescribed target ranges. Participants were encouraged to achieve behaviour goals.

Behavioral: Personalized Online Behavioral Intervention

Usual Practice Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants allocated to the control group received no intervention during the study period and were asked to maintain their usual lifestyle and daily routines. They did not receive personalized guidance, structured PA sessions, behavioural monitoring, or incentives

Interventions

Personalized Online Behavioral Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The intervention consisted of a personalized, online behavioural program delivered via WeChat, in order to support more optimal allocation of daily time across physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep within a finite 24-hour day. Intervention content was individualized based on each participant's baseline 24-hour movement behaviour profile. Personalized feedback and guidance were based on the Multi-Process Action Control (M-PAC) framework. participants in the intervention group were invited to attend weekly 30-minute offline group jogging sessions.

24-hour Movement Behaviour Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 25 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• aged 18-25 years;
• no severe physical or psychological conditions, no contraindications to exercise, and no major surgery in the past six months;
• willingness to wear an accelerometer and participate in the online intervention;
• failure to meet at least one recommendation of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (18-64 years) for PA, sedentary behaviour, or sleep -

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of severe physical or psychological conditions that could limit safe participation in physical activity.
• Medical contraindications to exercise or a history of major surgery within the past six months.
• Inability or unwillingness to wear an accelerometer or to engage in the online intervention.
• Meeting all recommendations of the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults (18-64 years) at baseline.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• South China Normal University: lead

Study Sites (1)

School of Physical Education and Sports Science

Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510006, China

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Ru ZHANG

  South China Normal University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Due to the nature of the personalized online intervention, participants and intervention providers were not blinded to group allocation. Outcome assessors were blinded to group assignment, and participants were instructed not to disclose their allocation status during outcome assessments.
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor; Principal Investigator

Model Details: Intervention group: Personalized one-on-one guidance was delivered via WeChat twice weekly, with each session lasting approximately 15 minutes. Guidance content was individualized based on participants' baseline 24-hour movement behaviour profiles, with the explicit aim of promoting more optimal time-use patterns across daily behaviours. In addition, participants were invited to attend weekly, 30-minute offline group jogging sessions, during which heart rate was maintained within individually prescribed target ranges. The participants were encouraged to achieve behavior goals. Participants allocated to the control group received no intervention during the study period and were asked to maintain their usual lifestyle and daily routines.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 16, 2026
• First Posted: February 6, 2026
• Study Start: September 15, 2023
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2024
• Study Completion: April 30, 2024
• Last Updated: February 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CN (1)