A Randomized Trial of Behavioral Economic Interventions to Improve Physical Activities: Framing vs. Forgiveness
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Enrollment
- 288
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Proportion of days an individual walks 7000 steps or more
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Employers are increasingly looking for opportunities to motivate sedentary employees to become more physically active. Workplace walking programs have had mixed success and typically show most improvement among participants that are already fairly active at a baseline. The goal of this study is to determine whether a financial incentive program can motivate sedentary employees to increase the number of steps they walk per day to meet a minimum threshold.
The primary outcome measure is the proportion of days a minimum activity of 7000 steps or more is achieved. Outcomes will be assessed each week for 3 months using incentives followed by 3 months of follow-up without incentives. Secondary outcomes will include the average steps walked per day.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Other
- Masking
- Single (Investigator)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 100 Years (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age greater than
- •Participant will need an iPhone or Android smartphone to be able to use the Moves App for tracking steps
Exclusion Criteria
- •Pregnant or lactating
- •Participating in another physical activity study
Arms & Interventions
Feedback 50th Percentile
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on all 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 50th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Financial Incentive (Behavioral)
Feedback 50th Percentile
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on all 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 50th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Daily Feedback (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on all 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Feedback compared to 75th percentile (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on all 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Financial Incentive (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on all 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Daily Feedback (Behavioral)
Feedback 50th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the average team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 50th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Forgiveness (Behavioral)
Feedback 50th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the average team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 50th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Financial Incentive (Behavioral)
Feedback 50th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the average team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 50th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Daily Feedback (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Feedback compared to 75th percentile (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Forgiveness (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Financial Incentive (Behavioral)
Feedback 75th Percentile + Forgiveness
At the end of each week, participants will be told (by email or text, based on the participant's preference) the team's average daily step count for the previous week based on the best 5 of 7 days. They will also be told the average for the 75th percentile in their arm. If the team's average daily step count (best 5 of 7 days) is ≥ 7000 steps, the team will be eligible for the weekly lottery.
Intervention: Daily Feedback (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Proportion of days an individual walks 7000 steps or more
Time Frame: End of study - 6 months after enrollment
The primary outcome measure is the proportion of days a minimum activity of 7000 steps or more is achieved. Outcomes will be assessed each week for 3 months using incentives followed by 3 months of follow-up without incentives.
Secondary Outcomes
- Average number of steps per day and week(End of study- 6 months after enrollment)