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Published on: March 7, 2019
The effects of a pedometer-based intervention on first-year university students: A randomized control trial
Paul Sharp1, Cristina Caperchione1
1a School of Health and Exercise Sciences , University of British Columbia , Kelowna , Canada.
Objectives:
To assess the effects of a 12-week pedometer-based intervention on the physical activity behavior, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychological well-being of first-year university students.
Participants:
First-year university students (N = 184) were recruited during September 2012 and randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group.
Methods:
Intervention participants were provided with a pedometer, monthly tracking logs, and follow-up e-mails. Control participants received no intervention. Physical activity, HRQOL, and psychological well-being were measured at baseline and post intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate/univariate analysis of variance (MANOVA/ANOVA).
Results:
All participants experienced an increase in mild physical activity (p < .01) from baseline to follow-up. The intervention failed to produce significant differences between groups for physical activity (p = .28), HRQOL (p = .80), or psychological well-being (p = .72). Psychological well-being (p < .001), vigorous physical activity (p = .04), and mental health status (p < .001) decreased across the duration of the study.
Conclusions:
More intensive interventions may be required to elicit physical activity behavior change.
