Effectiveness of an Activity Tracker- and Internet-Based Adaptive Walking Program for Adults: A Randomized Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Physical Activity Promotion

Background:

• Scalable physical activity promotion programs are needed.
• Tailored and dynamically adjusting goals can increase physical activity.
• Internet-based interventions offer a scalable solution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an open-access, internet-based walking program.
• To assess the impact of tailored daily step goals on physical activity.
• To determine the scalability of such interventions.

Main Methods:

• A pragmatic randomized controlled trial compared the intervention to a no-treatment control group.
• Participants received a wireless activity tracker and enrolled in the Walkadoo program.
• Automated assessments recorded daily steps over a 6-week follow-up period.

Main Results:

• The intervention group significantly increased daily steps by 970 compared to the control group (P<.001).
• Significant increases in steps were observed in both sedentary and low-to-somewhat active participants.
• The program demonstrated effectiveness across different baseline activity levels.

Conclusions:

• The internet-based walking program is effective in increasing daily steps.
• Tailored, adaptive goal setting with wireless activity trackers is feasible and scalable.
• This approach benefits individuals regardless of their initial physical activity levels.