Facebook team walking RCT
A 50-day team social-network pedometer program boosted walking/MVPA during the intervention, but gains were not maintained 3 months later.
Source
A Web-Based, Social Networking Physical Activity Intervention for Insufficiently Active Adults Delivered via Facebook App: Randomized Controlled Trial
Study at a glance
- Design
- RCT — 50-day Facebook app + pedometer vs wait-list; teams of friends
- N
- N=110 · 51 intervention, 59 control
- Population
- Insufficiently active adults organized in Facebook friend teams
- Outcome
- Self-reported MVPA/walking at 8 and 20 weeks
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Facebook team walking RCT
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
110 participants: 51 intervention, 59 control.
Of the 110 participants, 51 (46.4%) were randomized to the intervention group (12 teams) and 59 (53.6%) to the control group (13 teams).
Walking increased by average 155 minutes (P < .001).
walking time by an average of 155 minutes (treatment effect size = 0.69, P <.001).
What they did
Insufficiently active adults in Facebook friend teams were randomized to a 50-day app+pedometer social PA program or wait-list control; MVPA was measured at baseline, 8 weeks, and 20 weeks.
What they found
Intervention increased walking by ~155 min/week (P < .001) during the program; between-group advantages were not maintained 3 months after the stimulus ended; retention was 87.3%.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Self-reported MVPA may inflate effects, and durability after removing the app was limited.
Key terms
- MVPA
- Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, the primary outcome.
- Pedometer
- Step-counting device used with a 10,000-steps/day goal.
- Social networking intervention
- Team-based online app leveraging existing Facebook friendships.
- Wait-list control
- Controls delayed access until study end.
- Active Australia Survey
- 7-day self-report PA questionnaire.
- Insufficiently active
- Below guideline levels of weekly MVPA at enrollment.
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Design?
Common questions
Sample size?
110 participants (51 intervention, 59 control).
Primary outcome?
Self-reported total weekly MVPA.
Walking effect?
+155 minutes/week during intervention (P < .001).
Were gains durable?
Not maintained 3 months after the program ended.
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