Impact of ‘10,000 Steps Duesseldorf’ after one year: Results of a controlled intervention study

Abstract

Abstract Background Despite marked decreases in physical activity (PA) in Germany due to the pandemic, population-based intervention strategies to tackle this public health problem remain sparse. The 12-month PA intervention ‘10,000 Steps Duesseldorf’ was composed of multiple components: at individual level, website to self-monitor steps; organizational level, step count competitions; environmental level, city-wide media campaign to increase awareness regarding benefits of PA and street signage indicating walking routes. This study aimed to replicate a research trial from Belgium addressing two questions: (1) Do individuals located in the city that the intervention is implemented in (Duesseldorf) engage in more PA compared to individuals located in the control city (Wuppertal) after one year? (2) Is the proportion of those reaching 10,000 steps/day higher in the intervention than in the control city after the intervention? Methods To investigate intervention effects, PA was assessed via pedometers in two representative samples of adults aged 25-75 years in the cities of Duesseldorf (intervention) and Wuppertal (control) at baseline (April 2021 - March 2022) and one-year follow-up (May-November 2023). Baseline differences in socio-demographic and health-related variables between intervention and control were adjusted for in a propensity score model with matching weights. Results 627 adults participated in the study at baseline and 553 at follow-up (60% female, 60% intervention). The results of the propensity score analyses revealed that intervention participants walked 462 steps more (95% confidence interval: -146 to 1070) than controls at follow-up. However, the proportion of residents reaching 10,000 steps/day was comparable between intervention and control city after the intervention (26%, both cities). Conclusions Our results suggest an intervention effect on daily steps taken in Duesseldorf experiencing intervention activities compared to the control city after one year. Key messages • The complex PA intervention from Belgium was successfully adapted and implemented in Germany resulting in a higher level of daily steps taken in the intervention city (compared to control). • A limitation of the study is that the recruitment process was hampered by the ongoing pandemic, resulting in selection bias, i.e. already active individuals were more likely to enrol in the study.