Brief report
Promoting Physical Activity Through Hand-Held Computer Technology

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2007.09.025Get rights and content

Background

Efforts to achieve population-wide increases in walking and similar moderate-intensity physical activities potentially can be enhanced through relevant applications of state-of-the-art interactive communication technologies. Yet few systematic efforts to evaluate the efficacy of hand-held computers and similar devices for enhancing physical activity levels have occurred. The purpose of this first-generation study was to evaluate the efficacy of a hand-held computer (i.e., personal digital assistant [PDA]) for increasing moderate intensity or more vigorous (MOD+) physical activity levels over 8 weeks in mid-life and older adults relative to a standard information control arm.

Design

Randomized, controlled 8-week experiment. Data were collected in 2005 and analyzed in 2006–2007.

Setting/Participants

Community-based study of 37 healthy, initially underactive adults aged 50 years and older who were randomized and completed the 8-week study (intervention=19, control=18).

Intervention

Participants received an instructional session and a PDA programmed to monitor their physical activity levels twice per day and provide daily and weekly individualized feedback, goal setting, and support. Controls received standard, age-appropriate written physical activity educational materials.

Main Outcome Measure

Physical activity was assessed via the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire at baseline and 8 weeks.

Results

Relative to controls, intervention participants reported significantly greater 8-week mean estimated caloric expenditure levels and minutes per week in MOD+ activity (p<0.04). Satisfaction with the PDA was reasonably high in this largely PDA-naive sample.

Conclusions

Results from this first-generation study indicate that hand-held computers may be effective tools for increasing initial physical activity levels among underactive adults.

Introduction

Efforts to effect population-wide physical activity increases can be enhanced through the applications of state-of-the-art communication technologies.1, 2, 3 The computer interface allows for levels of ongoing individual tailoring and adaptation that may enhance intervention success.4, 5 Applications of hand-held computers to assess health behaviors in natural settings have gained increasing prominence.6, 7, 8 Yet, few studies have investigated the effects of hand-held computer interfaces in efforts to actually change health behaviors in the natural setting.3, 9 The goal of the Computerized Health Assessments in Real Time—Physical Activity (CHART-PA) pilot study was to investigate the impact of a behavioral intervention10 delivered via a hand-held computer (i.e., PDA) on short-term increases in moderate-intensity or more vigorous-intensity physical activity (MOD+PA) among an initially underactive sample of middle- and older-aged adults.

Section snippets

Study Design

Study eligibility consisted of the following: ≥50 years old; ≤60 min/week of MOD+PA over the previous 6 months and interested in learning ways to increase physical activity; free of medical conditions limiting participation in moderate-intensity activities; English language skills to enable informed consent and participate in study procedures; willing to use a PDA as directed; and willing to be randomized.

Recruitment occurred through local mass media outlets. Eligibility was determined through

Subjects

Sixty-nine adults were screened for participation and, of those, 37 attended a study orientation and were randomized to the study arms (PDA-based intervention [n=19], standard information control [n=18]).

All 37 participants completed the primary measure of interest (CHAMPS) at 8 weeks. Baseline data are shown in Table 1 for selected variables. There were no significant group differences at baseline. Ninety-three percent of participants had never used a PDA prior to the study (i.e., were novice

Discussion

In this first-generation study, intervention participants receiving a behavioral program delivered via PDA achieved significant increases in physical activity relative to controls, and the majority of participants found the PDA acceptable and enjoyable to use. The increases in MOD+PA reported on the CHAMPS questionnaire were reflected to some degree in the step-counter information reported by intervention participants, although the manner in which the pedometer data were collected (i.e., via

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