WalkLink: Internet-based Walking Program

NCT ID: NCT01142804

Last Updated: 2015-08-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 308 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2012-08-31

Brief Summary

The investigators propose a randomized controlled trial based on the Social Networks for Activity (SNAP) Model to evaluate: (1) the effectiveness of an internet-based fitness walking program delivered to patients with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke; and (2) the contribution of social support networks to enhancing the effectiveness of the internet-based fitness walking program. The investigators will recruit 308 patients who are sedentary and have risk factors for cardiovascular disease and randomly assign them to one of the following groups: 1. Internet-based fitness walking program (WalkLink); 2. Internet-based fitness walking program plus additional social network intervention (WalkLink+); and 3. Minimal treatment control.

The primary specific aims of this study are to:

1. Evaluate the effects of WalkLink and WalkLink+ relative to a minimal treatment control group on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition, and body mass index (BMI), from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.

2. Compare the differential effectiveness of WalkLink+ to WalkLink on change in: physical activity, aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body composition and BMI from baseline to posttest, and at 6-month follow-up.

3. Evaluate the mediator and moderator effects of selected individual-level self-management skills (goal setting, planning, self-monitoring), social support variables (number of activity partners, social cues for walking, social praise/reinforcement), and physical-ecological variables (neighborhood walkability, physical cues for walking) on WalkLink and WalkLink+ treatment outcomes.

Conditions

Physical Activity

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Enhanced Usual Care Group

Participants received weekly emailed tips of the week to provide support for walking.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Walking programs with various levels of support will be administered to determine which one is most effective.

WalkLink Group

Participants received weekly emailed tips of the week, plus evidence-based online fitness walking program.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Walking programs with various levels of support will be administered to determine which one is most effective.

WalkLink+ Group

Participants received weekly emailed tips, plus evidence-based online fitness walking program, plus online/in-person social network intervention.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Walking programs with various levels of support will be administered to determine which one is most effective.

Interventions

Group

Walking programs with various levels of support will be administered to determine which one is most effective.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

Enhanced Usual Care; WalkLink; WalkLink+

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Sedentary, defined as less than 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity
• Between the ages of 35 and 64
• Able to speak English
• Able to provide informed consent
• Able to participate in moderate-intensity physical activity (e.g., moderate pace walking)

Exclusion Criteria

• No access to home or private work computer with Internet access
• Body mass index (BMI) greater than 39.9
• Systolic blood pressure > 160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure > 100 mm Hg
• Bone, joint, or foot problems that interfere with walking
• Diabetes, pulmonary, or cardiovascular disease
• Consume 5 or more drinks of alcohol a day
• Currently pregnant
• Not living within the preselected study neighborhoods or plan to move from the local area during the study period

• Minimum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 64 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Liza Rovniak

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Public Health Sciences

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Liza Rovniak, PhD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Locations

Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

References

Rovniak LS, Kong L, Hovell MF, Ding D, Sallis JF, Ray CA, Kraschnewski JL, Matthews SA, Kiser E, Chinchilli VM, George DR, Sciamanna CN. Engineering Online and In-Person Social Networks for Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial. Ann Behav Med. 2016 Dec;50(6):885-897. doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9814-8.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 27405724 (View on PubMed)

Rovniak LS, Sallis JF, Kraschnewski JL, Sciamanna CN, Kiser EJ, Ray CA, Chinchilli VM, Ding D, Matthews SA, Bopp M, George DR, Hovell MF. Engineering online and in-person social networks to sustain physical activity: application of a conceptual model. BMC Public Health. 2013 Aug 14;13:753. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-753.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 23945138 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

IRB-31708

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id