Move@NUS: a Digital Intervention Cohort Promoting Healthy Movement Behaviours

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Physical Inactivity; Sedentary Behavior; Sleep Insufficiency; Well-Being, Psychological

• Registration Number: NCT06597890
• Lead Sponsor: National University of Singapore

Brief Summary

The aim of the Move@NUS pilot study is to determine the feasibility of establishing a digital intervention cohort to monitor and improve the health and wellbeing of students by encouraging them to engage in healthy movement behaviours (i.e., physical activity, sleep, and limiting smartphone-based recreational screentime).

The digital intervention cohort consists of:

* 6-months of continuous monitoring of movement behaviours, wellbeing and related factors via an Apple Watch and repeated bursts of ecological momentary assessments (EMAs).

* 3x embedded randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of small-scale smartphone-based interventions designed to nudge participants toward participating in healthier movement behaviours.

Detailed Description

Good overall mental and physical health and wellbeing can be promoted by engaging in healthy movement behaviours - getting adequate sleep, being physically active, and minimising recreational time spent watching a screen or being sedentary. The objectives of this study are to determine the feasibility of:

* establishing a digital cohort study and continuously monitoring health behaviours and wellbeing (and related factors) for 6 months, and

* rapidly evaluating the effects of ecological momentary interventions (EMIs; small-scale interventions that provide support in real-time, delivered via the smartwatch and app) for promoting healthy movement behaviours via a series of embedded RCTs.

The investigators will enrol up to 150 first-year university students into an innovative hybrid study that combines a digital cohort with embedded randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The digital cohort consists of 6 months of continuous observations of movement behaviours, wellbeing, and related factors via a smartwatch (Apple Watch) and repeated bursts of smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys. Throughout the 6-month monitoring period, participants are enrolled in 3 embedded RCTs evaluating the effects of EMIs that, in turn, target sleep, physical activity, and smartphone-based recreational screentime. For each embedded-RCT we assess engagement and acceptability outcomes (e.g., whether a push notification is opened, whether it is responded to), and preliminary efficacy (i.e., whether there is a between group difference in the target behaviour from pre- to post-intervention). Participants also complete traditional questionnaires at baseline, 3-, and 6-month follow-up.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-08-30
• Status Verified: 2024-09
• Study Start: 2024-09-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-09-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-09-12
• Study First Posted: 2024-09-19
• Last Update Posted: 2024-09-19
• Primary Completion: 2025-02-28
• Study Completion: 2025-02-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 150

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
RCT 1. Sleep	week 1 (pre-intervention), week 3 (intervention midpoint), week 5 (post-intervention), and continuously throughout the 6-month study	Sleep duration, as assessed via Apple Watch
RCT 2. Physical activity	week 6 (pre-intervention), week 8 (intervention midpoint), week 10 (post-intervention), and continuously throughout the 6-month study	Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, as assessed via Apple Watch
RCT 3. Screentime	week 6 (pre-intervention), week 8 (intervention midpoint), week 10 (post-intervention), and continuously throughout the 6-month study	Screenshots of passively captured smartphone screentime data
Wellbeing	Continuously over 6-months	Mental wellbeing, WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5; World Health Organisation). Min value 0, max value 100; higher scores indicate greater wellbeing.