TRACK & ACT: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial exploring the comparative effectiveness of pedometers and activity trackers for changing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in inactive individuals

Abstract

INTERVENTION: Participants are randomly allocated to one of three groups based on their workplace. Each group randomly receives either a Fitbit ONE, Jawbone UP or Digi‐Walker SW200 pedometer (PED) for 8‐weeks and an orientation session to their respective device. In the first week, a one‐hour group‐based information session is conducted by a member of the research team to orient the participants to their devices and to provide technical support for set up. A second one‐hour group‐based face‐to‐face support session is conducted in week si Xto troubleshoot device issues and technical barriers to use. Participants received no education or encouragement to be more active or less sedentary in these sessions and no prescriptive instructions about how to use the device over the 8 weeks, other than that they are intended for daily wear and it was expected that participants would wear the monitors continuously for 8 weeks. Adherence was measured by tracking device analytics (e.g. steps) using either online accounts (participants in Fitbit ONE and Jawbone UP groups were asked to share their login details) or daily logs (for the Pedometer group). These data were manually extracted by a member of the research team throughout the intervention. CONDITION: Physical inactivity; ; Physical inactivity Public Health ‐ Health promotion/education PRIMARY OUTCOME: Steps per day using the Actigraph GT3X accelerometer. Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for 7 days at each timepoint.[Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for one week at each timepoint. Timepoints include: baseline (pre‐intervention), 4‐ and 8‐ weeks, and at 16‐week follow up.] SECONDARY OUTCOME: Moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity using the Actigraph GT3 Xaccelerometer. Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for 7 days at each timepoint. Moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) will be defined according to accelerometer cutpoints, using the previously established cutpoint of >=2020 cpm.[Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for one week at each timepoint. Timepoints include: baseline (pre‐intervention), 4‐ and 8‐ weeks, and at 16‐week follow up.] Sedentary behavior (h/day) using the Actigraph GT3 Xaccelerometer. Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for 7 days at each timepoint. Sedentary behaviour will be defined according to accelerometer cutpoints, using the previously established cutpoint of <100 cpm.[Participants are asked to wear the accelerometer for one week at each timepoint. Timepoints include: baseline (pre‐intervention), 4‐ and 8‐ weeks, and at 16‐week follow up.] INCLUSION CRITERIA: Employed full‐time in a desk‐based role at one of three sites of a large metropolitan university, be aged between 18‐65 years, own or have access to a smart phone, not be pregnant or planning pregnancy and doing less than 150 minutes of MVPA per week (i.e., below current PA recommendations), as measured by the Active Australia survey.