Innovation to motivation--pilot study of a mobile phone intervention to increase physical activity among sedentary women.
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Date
2010-09-14
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Abstract
OBJECTIVES This uncontrolled pilot study assessed changes in pedometer measured step counts and self reported physical activity during a 3 week mobile phone based intervention We also explored whether age BMI and psychosocial factors were associated with changes in step counts METHODS Forty one sedentary adult women in San Francisco California were asked to report their pedometer steps using a study supplied mobile phone from June to September 2008 In the second and third weeks daily prompts delivered by the mobile phone encouraged participants to increase steps by 20 from the previous week RESULTS Mean age was 48 years Average daily total steps increased by approximately 800 or 15 over three weeks pUnder0 001 Lower BMI no antidepressant use and lower self reported health status were associated with higher step counts at baseline Improvements in self reported will power were associated with increases in step counts pUnder0 001 Neither age p 0 55 nor BMI p 0 13 was significantly associated with changes in activity over the 3 weeks CONCLUSIONS The intervention appeared to motivate sedentary women to increase their physical activity A randomized controlled clinical trial is warranted and feasible