Feasibility of a Social Network-Based Physical Activity Intervention Targeting Vocational School Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Globally, four out of five adolescents do not meet the recommendations for physical activity (PA). Moving large segments of young adults from inactivity to activity is essential to reach the global target of a 15% relative reduction in inactivity by 2030 worldwide. This study aimed to examine the feasibility of a social network-based PA intervention (WALK2gether) in vocational school students. Fourteen students from one vocational school in the city of Duesseldorf were instructed to walk ten thousand steps per day over six weeks. Applied behavior change techniques were self-monitoring of steps and social comparison via a pedometer app and a Facebook group. Indicators of feasibility were documented. The intervention was minimally resource intensive, with a total of 92 h spent by the research staff. The recruitment rate was 19.2% and loss-to-follow up 28.6%. Our data revealed no significant change in the target behavior PA from baseline to follow-up. The target population did not interact in the Facebook group, while a moderate use of the pedometer app was noted. Although the results ought to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size, the findings suggest that the WALK2gether intervention was partially feasible, but not appropriate for the target group.