Abstract
Objective: To identify what features of social media – promotional messaging or peer networks – can increase physical activity. Method: A 13-week social media-based exercise program was conducted at a large Northeastern university in Philadelphia, PA. In a randomized controlled trial, 217 graduate students from the University were randomized to three conditions: a control condition with a basic online program for enrolling in weekly exercise classes led by instructors of the University for 13 weeks, a media condition that supplemented the basic program with weekly online promotional media messages that encourage physical activity, and a social condition that replaced the media content with an online network of four to six anonymous peers composed of other participants of the program, in which each participant was able to see their peers' progress in enrolling in classes. The primary outcome was the number of enrollments in exercise classes, and the secondary outcomes were self-reported physical activities. Data were collected in 2014. Results: Participants enrolled in 5.5 classes on average. Compared with enrollment in the control condition (mean = 4.5), promotional messages moderately increased enrollment (mean = 5.7, p = 0.08), while anonymous social networks significantly increased enrollment (mean = 6.3, p = 0.02). By the end of the program, participants in the social condition reported exercising moderately for an additional 1.6 days each week compared with the baseline, which was significantly more than an additional 0.8 days in the control condition. Conclusion: Social influence from anonymous online peers was more successful than promotional messages for improving physical activity. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02267369.
Highlights
Sedentary lifestyle is an escalating epidemic (Dunstan et al, 2012; Hamilton et al, 2008; Thorp et al, 2011)
In a randomized controlled trial, 217 graduate students from the University were randomized to three conditions: a control condition with a basic online program for enrolling in weekly exercise classes led by instructors of the University for 13 weeks, a media condition that supplemented the basic program with weekly online promotional media messages that encourage physical activity, and a social condition that replaced the media content with an online network of four to six anonymous peers composed of other participants of the program, in which each participant was able to see their peers' progress in enrolling in classes
Little is known about whether or how social media can be used to design a cost-effective solution for sedentary lifestyles. This paper addresses this problem and presents results from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that evaluated two prominent strategies for conducting exercise interventions using elements of social media: motivational campaigns that use professionally produced messages to improve exercise habits (Kroeze et al, 2006; Mozaffarian et al, 2012; Williams and French, 2011), and peer networks that provide information about the behavior of other members in the online program (Centola, 2010, 2011)
Summary
Sedentary lifestyle is an escalating epidemic (Dunstan et al, 2012; Hamilton et al, 2008; Thorp et al, 2011). Due to major life event changes associated with the independence and work schedule, a high proportion of young adults are sedentary or irregularly active (Gordon-Larsen et al, 2004; Woods et al, 2002). This statistic is alarming because sedentary habits developed in younger ages are likely to continue into later life (Kvaavik et al, 2003).
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