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Published on: March 7, 2019
A comparison of Internet and print-based physical activity interventions
Bess H Marcus1, Beth A Lewis, David M Williams
1The Miriam Hospital and Brown Medical School, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Providence, RI 02903, USA. bmarcus@lifespan.org
Archives of Internal Medicine
|May 16, 2007
Summary
Tailored physical activity interventions delivered via the Internet or print similarly increased activity levels in adults. The Internet offers a cost-effective way to reach more sedentary individuals.
Area of Science:
- Health Behavior Change
- Digital Health Interventions
- Physical Activity Promotion
Background:
- Tailored print interventions enhance physical activity more than non-tailored ones.
- Internet-based interventions offer a scalable and cost-effective alternative to print for physical activity promotion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of tailored Internet, tailored print, and standard Internet interventions for increasing physical activity.
Main Methods:
- 249 adults were randomized into three groups: tailored Internet, tailored print, or standard Internet.
- Interventions were delivered over 12 months with assessments at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.
- Participants' physical activity minutes per week were recorded.
Main Results:
- At 6 months, tailored Internet (120.0 min/week) and tailored print (112.5 min/week) showed similar physical activity levels compared to standard Internet (90.0 min/week).
- At 12 months, all groups reported similar physical activity levels (tailored print: 90.0 min/week, tailored Internet: 90.0 min/week, standard Internet: 80.0 min/week).
- No significant differences in physical activity were found between the three intervention arms at either time point.
Conclusions:
- Tailored Internet, tailored print, and standard Internet interventions similarly increased physical activity behavior.
- Internet-based interventions present a cost-effective opportunity to engage sedentary adults in physical activity programs.
