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Published on: March 7, 2019
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Personalized digital behaviour interventions increase short-term physical activity: a randomized control crossover
Ali Javed1, Daniel Seung Kim1, Steven G Hershman1,2
1Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
European Heart Journal. Digital Health
|October 5, 2023
Summary
Personalized digital health coaching significantly increases daily steps. Tailored prompts, unlike generic goals, effectively boost physical activity in adults, suggesting personalized digital interventions are key for public health.
Area of Science:
- Digital Health
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Physical activity is crucial for mitigating chronic diseases associated with aging.
- Smartphone applications have previously shown potential in increasing short-term physical activity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of different digital interventions in increasing physical activity among adults.
- To determine if personalized e-coaching is more effective than generic prompts or guideline reminders.
Main Methods:
- A randomized crossover trial involving 2458 adults using the MyHeart Counts app.
- Participants received four 7-day interventions: personalized e-coaching, 10,000-step goals, hourly stand prompts, and American Heart Association (AHA) guideline reading.
- Primary outcome was the change in mean daily step count from baseline.
Main Results:
- Personalized e-coaching significantly increased daily steps by 402 (P=7.1x10⁻⁸).
- Hourly stand prompts (+292 steps, P=0.00029) and AHA guideline prompts (+215 steps, P=0.021) also significantly increased step counts.
- Daily 10,000-step prompts showed no significant increase (+170 steps, P=0.11).
Conclusions:
- Digital interventions tailored to individual activity patterns are effective in increasing short-term physical activity.
- Personalization appears to be a critical factor for positive participant response and increased activity.
- Further research is needed to assess the long-term impact of these digital interventions.
