A randomized controlled trial of a wearable technology‐based intervention for increasing moderate to vigorous physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in breast cancer survivors: The ACTIVATE Trial

Abstract

Background The benefits of an active lifestyle after a breast cancer diagnosis are well recognized, but the majority of survivors are insufficiently active. The ACTIVATE Trial examined the efficacy of an intervention (use of the Garmin Vivofit 2 activity monitor coupled with a behavioral feedback and goal‐setting session and 5 telephone‐delivered health coaching sessions) to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and reduce sedentary behavior in breast cancer survivors. Methods This randomized controlled trial recruited 83 inactive, postmenopausal women diagnosed with stage I‐III breast cancer who had completed primary treatment. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group or to the control group, and the intervention was delivered over a 12‐week period. MVPA and sedentary behavior were measured with Actigraph and activPAL accelerometers at baseline (T1) and at the end of the intervention (T2). Results Retention in the trial was high, with 80 (96%) of participants completing T2 data collection. At T2, there was a significant between‐group difference in MVPA (69 min/wk; 95% CI = 22‐116) favoring the intervention group. The trial resulted in a statistically significant decrease in both total sitting time and prolonged bouts (≥20 min) of sitting, with between‐group reductions of 37 min/d (95% CI = −72 to −2) and 42 min/d (95% CI = −83 to −2), respectively, favoring the intervention group. Conclusion Results from the ACTIVATE Trial suggest that the use of wearable technology presents an inexpensive and scalable opportunity to facilitate more active lifestyles for cancer survivors. Whether or not such wearable technology‐based interventions can create sustainable behavioral change should be the subject of future research.

Maintenance of physical activity and sedentary behavior change, and physical activity and sedentary behavior change after an abridged intervention: Secondary outcomes from the ACTIVATE Trial

“…Many of the strengths and limitations described in the ACTIVATE Trial primary outcomes article apply to this brief report. Because of funding constraints, we were unable to test the efficacy of wearable technology alone in a randomized trial setting: a 3‐armed trial comparing the primary intervention, the abridged intervention, and a control condition would have been ideal.…”

“…The ACTIVATE Trial examined the efficacy of a wearable technology‐based intervention (using the Garmin Vivofit 2 activity tracker, coupled with a behavioral feedback and goal‐setting session and 5 telephone‐delivered health coaching sessions) delivered over a 12‐week period (T1‐T2) to increase moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and reduce sitting time in breast cancer survivors. The intervention successfully increased MVPA (between‐group change = 69 min/wk; 95% CI = 22‐116) and decreased sitting time (−37 min/d; 95% CI = −72 to −2) …”

“…The intervention successfully increased MVPA (between-group change = 69 min/wk; 95% CI = 22-116) and decreased sitting time (−37 min/d; 95% CI = −72 to −2). 1 Here, we report the secondary aims of the study, which were: 1) to examine the maintenance of MVPA and sitting time changes in the primary intervention group approximately 12 weeks after intervention (T3) and 2) to determine the efficacy of an abridged intervention (use of the Garmin Vivofit 2 only) in the waitlist control group.…”

Effects of the ACTIVity And TEchnology (ACTIVATE) intervention on health‐related quality of life and fatigue outcomes in breast cancer survivors

“…We recently completed the ACTIVity And TEchnology (ACTIVATE) Trial, an intervention that examined the efficacy of a wearable technology‐based intervention (using the Garmin Vivofit 2, with a behavioral feedback and goal setting session, and five telephone‐delivered health coaching sessions). We reported that the intervention successfully increased moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (between group change = 69 minutes/week, 95% CI: 22, 116) and decreased sitting time (−37 minutes/day, 95% CI: −72, −2), and the MVPA changes were sustained 3 months after the intervention …”

Effectiveness of Exercise Training on Mental Health, Physical Activity Level and Social Participation in People Living with HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Also, most behavioural intervention studies assessing the effects of physical activity level usually incorporate a behaviour change model. [62] This helps in developing lifestyle promotion strategies to accumulate physical activity as well as appropriate walking plans for enhancing, motivating, and overcoming barriers to physical activity. Importantly, such behavioural intervention studies are driven by speci ed behaviour change theories/models aimed at identifying modi able predictors of subjects' behaviours towards physical activity [63].…”