Promote Students’ Healthy Behavior Through Sensor and Game: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of using sensor technology to track steps and sleep with and without a game platform in motivating students to attain the recommended exercise level and sleep hours. Methods: Three hundred first-year medical students were randomly assigned to the control group, group 1 using a tracking device (FitBit Flex) and group 2 using FitBit Flex and a social media-based game. Stress, exercise, and sleep time and quality were assessed by validated instruments. Daily steps and sleep hours were monitored by FitBit Flex from week 1 to week 8 in group 1 and group 2. From week 9, all groups had access to FitBit Flex and the game platform, and students’ daily steps and sleep time were monitored until week 14 by FitBit Flex. Results: For exercise, 85% of students were active at the baseline, and the interventions did not significantly modify their exercise level except during recess and exam week where the incentive of the game mitigated the decrease of daily steps. For sleep, by week 14, all groups attained an average of daily sleep time close to 8 h compared to the baseline of 7.26 h. For stress, baseline survey showed that 57.7% of students experienced medium to high stress level, and this trend did not significantly change during the study. Conclusion: It is more important to reinforce the benefit of staying active instead of motivating students to start doing exercise. Tracking sleep is critical to motivate a student to increase sleep time close to the recommended 8 h.