STEP Together: An Effectiveness-Implementation Study of Social Incentives and Physical Activity

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Physical Activity
• Interventions: Behavioral: Daily Performance Feedback; Behavioral: Social Goals through Incentives to Charity; Behavioral: Social Incentive Gamification

• Registration Number: NCT04942535
• Lead Sponsor: Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Brief Summary

Higher levels of physical activity have been demonstrated to improve health across a wide range of contexts and reduce cognitive decline as adults become older, but more than half of all adults in the United States do not meet their physical activity goals. One type of physical activity that is broadly applicable to people of all ages is walking. This study will use a Hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation design to adapt and test the effectiveness of two successful social incentive-based interventions, a gamification strategy and financial incentives donated to charity on the participants behalf, to increase physical activity among low-income, mostly minority families in community settings.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-06-17
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-06-17
• Study First Posted: 2021-06-28
• Study Start: 2021-09-21
• Status Verified: 2025-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-02-13
• Last Update Posted: 2025-02-17
• Primary Completion: 2025-10
• Study Completion: 2026-04

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 779

Inclusion Criteria

• Able to read and speak English;
• Has a smartphone or tablet;
• Lives in the Philadelphia area;
• Age 14 or older;
• Able to provide informed consent;
• Enrolled as a member of a 2 to 10 member family team with least one member 60 years or older.

Exclusion Criteria

• Already participating in another physical activity study;
• An 18-month physical activity program is infeasible (e.g., metastatic cancer, unable to ambulate or provide informed consent) or unsafe (currently pregnant or told by a physician not to exercise);
• Do not have sufficient eyesight or dexterity to operate device;
• Average step count greater than 7,500 steps/day during the run-in period.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control	Daily Performance Feedback	Each participant is enrolled as part of a family team. Each participant wears a Fitbit every day and strives to achieve their daily step goal. Participants in this arm receive Daily Performance Feedback during the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up.
Social Incentive Gamification	Daily Performance Feedback	Each participant is enrolled as part of a family team. Each participant wears a Fitbit every day and strives to achieve their daily step goal. Participants in this arm receive the Social Incentive Gamification intervention during the 12 month intervention and Daily Performance Feedback during the 6 month follow up.
Social Goals through Incentives to Charity	Social Goals through Incentives to Charity	Each participant is enrolled as part of a family team. Each participant wears a Fitbit every day and strives to achieve their daily step goal. Participants in this arm receive the Social Goals through Incentives to Charity intervention during the 12 month intervention and Daily Performance Feedback during the 6 month follow up.
Social Goals through Incentives to Charity	Daily Performance Feedback	Each participant is enrolled as part of a family team. Each participant wears a Fitbit every day and strives to achieve their daily step goal. Participants in this arm receive the Social Goals through Incentives to Charity intervention during the 12 month intervention and Daily Performance Feedback during the 6 month follow up.
Social Incentive Gamification	Social Incentive Gamification	Each participant is enrolled as part of a family team. Each participant wears a Fitbit every day and strives to achieve their daily step goal. Participants in this arm receive the Social Incentive Gamification intervention during the 12 month intervention and Daily Performance Feedback during the 6 month follow up.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in mean daily step counts during the 12 month intervention	Months 1-12	Change in mean daily steps from baseline to the end of the 12 month intervention period. Steps will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in mean daily step counts during the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up	Months 1-18	Change in mean daily steps from baseline to the end of the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up. Steps will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.
Change in mean minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the 12 month intervention	Months 1-12	Change in mean daily minutes of MVPA from baseline to the end of the 12 month intervention period. Minutes of MVPA will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.
Difference in proportion of weeks physical activity guidelines were achieved during the 12 month intervention	Months 1-12	Difference between study arms in the proportion of weeks that physical activity guidelines (150 minutes per week of MVPA) were achieved. Minutes of MVPA will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.
Difference in proportion of weeks physical activity guidelines were achieved during the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up	Months 1-18	Difference between study arms in the proportion of weeks that physical activity guidelines (150 minutes per week of MVPA) were achieved. Minutes of MVPA will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.
Change in mean minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up	Months 1-18	Change in mean daily minutes of MVPA from baseline to the end of the 12 month intervention and 6 month follow up. Minutes of MVPA will be measured using the Fitbit Inspire 2 wearable device.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pennsylvania; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States