Testing the Efficacy of an Online Social Network Intervention to Increase Social Support for Physical Activity

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Cardiovascular Disease; Obesity; Cancer
• Interventions: Behavioral: online social network enrollment plus education and self monitoring; Behavioral: Web education control

• Registration Number: NCT01421758
• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Brief Summary

This study was designed to determine whether participation in an online social network intervention increases perceived social support for physical activity versus a minimal education control group by conducting a randomized controlled trial with 140 female undergraduate students. The investigators hypothesize that participants in the physical activity centered online social network intervention group will have greater increases in perceived social support for physical activity compared to minimal web based physical activity education controls.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2010-12
• Primary Completion: 2011-04
• Study Completion: 2011-05
• Status Verified: 2011-08
• Study First Submitted: 2011-08-19
• Study First Submitted QC: 2011-08-22
• Study First Posted: 2011-08-23
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-04-15
• Last Update Posted: 2016-04-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 134

Inclusion Criteria

• female
• under the age of 25
• currently enrolled full time or part time student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• classified as an undergraduate
• answers no to all questions on an exercise risk factor questionnaire (PAR-Q) or is cleared in writing by a physician to participate in an independent exercise program
• a score of less than 3 on the SCOFF eating disorders questionnaire
• less than 30 minutes per day of self reported moderate or vigorous physical activity
• regular Facebook use as defined by self reported owning of an account and use of at least 30 minutes per day
• willing to provide informed consent
• willing to participate in the intervention
• literate in the English language.

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Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
online social network	online social network enrollment plus education and self monitoring	-
web education control	Web education control	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mean perceived social support for physical activity scores on the Peer/Friend Support for Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Scale.	10 weeks	The primary outcome measure is the mean score of a 19 item, 7 point scale that measures the frequency of social support interactions over the previous 6 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Physical activity in kilocalories on the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire/College Alumnus Questionnaire	12 weeks

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States