%0 Journal Article
%@ 1438-8871
%I Gunther Eysenbach
%V 9
%N 2
%P e7
%T Using Internet and Mobile Phone Technology to Deliver an Automated Physical Activity Program: Randomized Controlled Trial
%A Hurling,Robert
%A Catt,Michael
%A De Boni,Marco
%A Fairley,Bruce William
%A Hurst,Tina
%A Murray,Peter
%A Richardson,Alannah
%A Sodhi,Jaspreet Singh
%+ Unilever Corporate Research, Colworth, Bedford, MK44 1LQ, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 1234 22 2992, bob.hurling@unilever.com
%K Behavior change
%K Health behavior
%K Behavior therapy
%K Obesity prevention
%K Health promotion
%K Exercise
%K Cellular phone
%K Internet
%K Consumer health informatics
%K Randomized controlled trial
%D 2007
%7 27.4.2007
%9 Original Paper
%J J Med Internet Res
%G English
%X Background:  The Internet has potential as a medium for health behavior change programs, but no controlled studies have yet evaluated the impact of a fully automated physical activity intervention over several months with real-time objective feedback from a monitor. Objective:  The aim was to evaluate the impact of a physical activity program based on the Internet and mobile phone technology provided to individuals for 9 weeks. Methods:  A single-center, randomized, stratified controlled trial was conducted from September to December 2005 in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, with 77 healthy adults whose mean age was 40.4 years (SD = 7.6) and mean body mass index was 26.3 (SD = 3.4). Participants were randomized to a test group that had access to an Internet and mobile phone–based physical activity program (n = 47) or to a control group (n = 30) that received no support. The test group received tailored solutions for perceived barriers, a schedule to plan weekly exercise sessions with mobile phone and email reminders, a message board to share their experiences with others, and feedback on their level of physical activity. Both groups were issued a wrist-worn accelerometer to monitor their level of physical activity; only the test group received real-time feedback via the Internet. The main outcome measures were accelerometer data and self-report of physical activity. Results:  At the end of the study period, the test group reported a significantly greater increase over baseline than did the control group for perceived control (P < .001) and intention/expectation to exercise (P < .001). Intent-to-treat analyses of both the accelerometer data (P = .02) and leisure time self-report data (P = .03) found a higher level of moderate physical activity in the test group. The average increase (over the control group) in accelerometer-measured moderate physical activity was 2 h 18 min per week. The test group also lost more percent body fat than the control group (test group: −2.18, SD = 0.59; control group: −0.17, SD = 0.81; P = .04). Conclusions:  A fully automated Internet and mobile phone–based motivation and action support system can significantly increase and maintain the level of physical activity in healthy adults. 
%M 17478409
%R 10.2196/jmir.9.2.e7
%U http://www.jmir.org/2007/2/e7/
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9.2.e7
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17478409