Increasing physical activity through an Internet-based motivational intervention supported by pedometers in a sample of sedentary students: A randomised controlled trial

Abstract

This study shows the effectiveness of a self-administered IMI using pedometers in increasing PA and enjoyment, and the effectiveness of the IMI alone in changing different theoretical constructs related to the PA behaviour.

Interventions to Promote Positive Affect and Physical Activity in Children, Adolescents and Young Adults—A Systematic Review

“…Six studies were conducted in North America [38][39][40][41][42][43], five studies in Europe [44][45][46][47][48], one in Singapore [49] and one in New Zealand [50]. Sample sizes ranged from 15 [39] to 1519 [43], and the duration of interventions ranged from three weeks [46] to three years [45]. Further study characteristics are presented in Table 1.…”

“…The analysis of study quality revealed one study classified as strong [43], nine studies as moderate [39][40][41][42][44][45][46]48,50] and three studies as weak [38,47,49]. Due to missing documentation of confounders prior to the intervention or insufficient control of confounders, most of the studies resulted in a weak rating.…”

“…Overall, eight studies were identified as having achieved significant positive changes in at least one outcome variable. The interventions of six studies were only able to significantly change enjoyment [40,[43][44][45][46]49], while five studies increased PA solely [38,[44][45][46]49]. Four interventions reported changes in both variables [44][45][46]48].…”

“…Most interventions employ multiple strategies targeting enjoyment and PA. These include, in descending order of commonness, group-based PA [40][41][42]44,48,49], implementing different teaching styles focusing on task-orientation [44,45,47,48], voluntary, supervised PA (e.g., during recess) [43,45,47,49], free access to exercise and sports facilities and equipment [45,47,49], internet-delivered motivational messages and information [43,46,49], video-and audio-based exergames [38,39,50] and group discussions and storytelling of PA-related topics [40,42]. Components only used in single studies are face-to-face motivational interviewing sessions [43], sharing progress on social media [49] and tracking progress via a pedometer [46].…”

“…Two studies used internet-based interventions to improve enjoyment and PA in university students [46,49]. Both Interventions include theory-based motivational messages and information about PA, while one included sharing their activities and progress with the other participants via Facebook [49].…”