Using a Fitbit-based Walking Game to Improve Physical Activity Among U.S. Veterans

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Veteran Health

Background:

• Physical inactivity is a major health concern for U.S. veterans, increasing mortality risk.
• Veterans are at higher risk for adverse cardiac events and premature death due to inactivity.
• The Veterans Affairs (VA) MapTrek mobile app was developed to encourage physical activity among veterans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the effectiveness of the VA MapTrek mobile app in increasing physical activity.
• To assess the impact of VA MapTrek on veterans at risk for obesity-related morbidity.
• To evaluate the VA MapTrek intervention's ability to promote walking behavior.

Main Methods:

• Recruited overweight and obese veterans for an 8-week intervention study.
• Assigned participants to either the VA MapTrek intervention group or a control group (Fitbit only).
• Utilized Bayesian Hamiltonian Monte Carlo methods to analyze daily step counts and intervention effects.

Main Results:

• The VA MapTrek intervention showed an 86.8% likelihood of increasing daily steps by at least 1,000 compared to the control group.
• Participants using VA MapTrek were projected to take an additional 96,627 steps over 8 weeks.
• This increase is equivalent to approximately 77.8 additional kilometers (48.3 miles) of walking.

Conclusions:

• VA MapTrek demonstrates potential as an effective intervention for increasing walking among veterans.
• The app can help mitigate risks associated with obesity and cardiac issues in the veteran population.
• Innovative digital health solutions like VA MapTrek are crucial for improving the health outcomes of veterans, particularly those in rural areas.