An Internet-based intervention for promoting and maintaining physical activity: a randomized controlled trial.

Area of Science:

• Health behavior change
• Digital health interventions
• Physical activity promotion

Background:

• University-aged female students often have low leisure-time physical activity levels.
• Social Cognitive Theory provides a framework for behavior change interventions.
• Internet-based interventions offer scalable solutions for promoting physical activity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a Social Cognitive Theory-based internet intervention.
• To promote and sustain leisure-time physical activity among university-aged female students in Thailand.

Main Methods:

• A 3-month internet intervention delivered via website and email.
• 220 female students were randomized into 4 parallel groups.
• Follow-up evaluation conducted 3 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• Significant increases in daily steps, weekly activity scores, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and self-regulation.
• Reduced resting heart rate observed at the end of the intervention.
• Intervention effects on most variables, except resting heart rate, were maintained at follow-up.

Conclusions:

• The internet intervention successfully promoted and maintained leisure-time physical activity.
• The findings support the use of internet-based programs for physical activity promotion in this demographic.
• Social Cognitive Theory principles were effectively applied in the digital intervention.