Psychology Department, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, United States.
Psychiatry Department, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Dec 1;9(12):e27208. doi: 10.2196/27208.
Although fitness technology can track and encourage increases in physical activity, few smartphone apps are based on behavior change theories. Apps that do include behavioral components tend to be costly and often do not include strategies to help those who are unsure of how to increase their physical activity.
The aim of this pilot study is to test the efficacy of a new app, StepMATE, for increasing daily walking in a sample of inactive adults and to examine daily relationships between walking and self-reported mood and energy.
The participants were middle-aged and older adults aged ≥50 years (mean 61.64, SD 7.67 years). They were randomly assigned to receive either a basic, pedometer-like version of the app or a version with supports to help them determine where, when, and with whom to walk. Of the 96 participants randomized to 1 of 2 conditions, 87 (91%) completed pretest assessments and 81 (84%) successfully downloaded the app. Upon downloading the app, step data from the week prior were automatically recorded. The participants in both groups were asked to set a daily walking goal, which they could change at any point during the intervention. They were asked to use the app as much as possible over the next 4 weeks. Twice per day, pop-up notifications assessed mood and energy levels.
Although one group had access to additional app features, both groups used the app in a similar way, mainly using just the walk-tracking feature. Multilevel models revealed that both groups took significantly more steps during the 4-week study than during the week before downloading the app (γ=0.24; P<.001). During the study, the participants in both groups averaged 5248 steps per day compared with an average of 3753 steps per day during the baseline week. Contrary to predictions, there were no differences in step increases between the two conditions. Cognition significantly improved from pre- to posttest (γ=0.17; P=.02). Across conditions, on days in which the participants took more steps than average, they reported better mood and higher energy levels on the same day and better mood on the subsequent day. Daily associations among walking, mood, and energy were significant for women but not for men and were stronger for older participants (those aged ≥62 years) than for the younger participants.
Both groups increased their steps to a similar extent, suggesting that setting and monitoring daily walking goals was sufficient for an initial increase and maintenance of steps. Across conditions, walking had benefits for positive mood and energy levels, particularly for women and older participants. Further investigations should identify other motivating factors that could lead to greater and more sustained increases in physical activity.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03124537; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03124537.
尽管健身技术可以跟踪和鼓励增加身体活动，但很少有智能手机应用程序基于行为改变理论。那些确实包含行为成分的应用程序往往成本高昂，而且通常不包括帮助那些不确定如何增加身体活动的人的策略。
本初步研究旨在测试一款名为 StepMate 的新应用程序在增加不活跃成年人日常步行方面的功效，并研究日常步行与自我报告的情绪和能量之间的关系。
参与者为年龄在 50 岁及以上的中年人（平均 61.64，SD 7.67 岁）。他们被随机分配接受基本的计步器应用程序版本或具有帮助他们确定何时何地以及与谁一起散步的支持的版本。在随机分配到 2 个条件之一的 96 名参与者中，有 87 名（91%）完成了预测试评估，有 81 名（84%）成功下载了应用程序。在下载应用程序后，会自动记录前一周的步数数据。两组参与者都被要求设定一个日常步行目标，他们可以在干预过程中的任何时候更改目标。要求他们在接下来的 4 周内尽可能多地使用该应用程序。每天两次弹出通知评估情绪和能量水平。
尽管一组人可以访问更多的应用程序功能，但两组人使用应用程序的方式相似，主要只使用步行跟踪功能。多层次模型显示，与下载应用程序前一周相比，两组在 4 周的研究期间都走了更多的步数（γ=0.24；P<.001）。在研究期间，两组参与者的平均每天步数为 5248 步，而基线周的平均每天步数为 3753 步。与预测相反，两种情况下的步数增加没有差异。认知能力从预测试到后测试都有显著提高（γ=0.17；P=.02）。在两种情况下，当参与者每天的步数超过平均水平时，他们当天和随后一天的情绪和能量水平都更好。步行、情绪和能量之间的日常关联对女性有意义，但对男性没有意义，对年龄较大的参与者（年龄≥62 岁）比年轻参与者更强。
两组参与者都将他们的步数增加到相似的程度，这表明设定和监测日常步行目标足以实现初始的步数增加和维持。在两种情况下，步行对积极的情绪和能量水平都有好处，特别是对女性和年龄较大的参与者。进一步的研究应该确定其他可以促进更大和更持续的身体活动增加的激励因素。
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03124537；https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03124537。
