Promoting Healthy Exercise to Conscientious Christians

NCT ID: NCT06119334

Last Updated: 2023-11-07

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 90 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-11-25
• Study Completion Date: 2025-12-09

Brief Summary

Given the importance of reducing mortality-morbidity, more effective Physical Activity (PA) interventions are important, and the recently observed stabilizations of PI levels suggest that novel methods must be explored (Ozemek et al., 2019).

This study aims to provide a select sedentary subpopulation with a customized intervention hypothesized to increase their PA adoption. Novel recruiting methods are used to identify a target subpopulation (based on multiple characteristics) that can be contacted in multiple sections of North America. We will intervene online and rigorously test the theoretical formulations that identify the subpopulation and the customized intervention.

Detailed Description

Physical inactivity (PI) in North America (NA) is associated with high levels of excess morbidity-mortality (Arraiz et al., 1992; Knight, 2012; Villeneuve et al., 1998) with significant decreases in morbidity-mortality predicted with increased physical activity (PA) in recent literature (del Pozo Cruz, et al., 2022; Fogelholm, 2010; Katzmarzyk & Mason, 2009; Peterson et al., 2014; Warburton & Bredin, 2017). The lower range of prevalence indicators of PI suggest that 47% of Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.) and 51% of Canadians (Statistics Canada, 2021) do not reach the PA guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) weekly. The upper end estimates point to approximately 80% of adults being too sedentary to gain health benefits (Piercy et al., 2018). Recent evidence analyzed by the US 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee (US Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2018), based on extensive literature review, indicates strong PI associations with increased all-cause mortality. Also noteworthy were specifically increased incidences of: 9.9% for cardiovascular diseases; 6.5% for stroke; 2.2% for hypertension; and 5.9% for Type 2 diabetes. Increased incidences were also associated with cancer-related diseases (2.9% for bladder cancer; 3.6% for breast cancer; and 3.9% for colon cancer) (Katzmarzyk et al., 2022). The estimated healthcare costs attributable to PI in Canada were $2.1 billion (1999) and $2.4 billion (2009), the latter figure associated with indirect costs of $4.3 billion and total costs of $6.8 billion (Katzmarzyk et al., 2000). Given the importance of reducing mortality-morbidity, more effective Physical Activity (PA) interventions are important, and the recently observed stabilizations of PI levels suggest that novel methods must be explored (Ozemek et al., 2019). This study aims to provide a select sedentary subpopulation with a customized intervention hypothesized to increase their PA adoption. Novel recruiting methods are used to identify a target subpopulation (based on multiple characteristics) that can be contacted in multiple sections of North America. We will intervene online and rigorously test the theoretical formulations that identify the subpopulation and the customized intervention.

Physical inactivity (PI) in North America (NA) is associated with high levels of excess morbidity-mortality (Arraiz et al., 1992; Knight, 2012; Villeneuve et al., 1998) with significant decreases in morbidity-mortality predicted with increased physical activity (PA) in recent literature (del Pozo Cruz, et al., 2022; Fogelholm, 2010; Katzmarzyk & Mason, 2009; Peterson et al., 2014; Warburton & Bredin, 2017).

The lower range of prevalence indicators of PI suggest that 47% of Americans (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.) and 51% of Canadians (Statistics Canada, 2021) do not reach the PA guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) weekly. The upper end estimates point to approximately 80% of adults being too sedentary to gain health benefits (Piercy et al., 2018).

Recent evidence analyzed by the US 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee (US Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2018), based on extensive literature review, indicates strong PI associations with increased all-cause mortality. Also noteworthy were specifically increased incidences of: 9.9% for cardiovascular diseases; 6.5% for stroke; 2.2% for hypertension; and 5.9% for Type 2 diabetes. Increased incidences were also associated with cancer-related diseases (2.9% for bladder cancer; 3.6% for breast cancer; and 3.9% for colon cancer) (Katzmarzyk et al., 2022). The estimated healthcare costs attributable to PI in Canada were $2.1 billion (1999) and $2.4 billion (2009), the latter figure associated with indirect costs of $4.3 billion and total costs of $6.8 billion (Katzmarzyk et al., 2000).

Given the importance of reducing mortality-morbidity, more effective Physical Activity (PA) interventions are important, and the recently observed stabilizations of PI levels suggest that novel methods must be explored (Ozemek et al., 2019). This study aims to provide a select sedentary subpopulation with a customized intervention hypothesized to increase their PA adoption. Novel recruiting methods are used to identify a target subpopulation (based on multiple characteristics) that can be contacted in multiple sections of North America. We will intervene online and rigorously test the theoretical formulations that identify the subpopulation and the customized intervention.

Aims and Objectives:

A. To estimate the approximate number of North American individuals who visit Christian - oriented online programs and dialogue on these programs about personally meaningful issues. This estimate is relevant to the potential for online PA interventions to reach ample populations and deliver adoption stimulating, reinforcing effects that result in increased MVPA.

B. To assess within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) whether an online Christianbased CBT-PA intervention is more effective than a comparison wait list control condition, in terms of increased MVPA as assessed by self-report (IPAQ), Fitbit (online] tracked steps, and self-reported changes in body mass index (BMI).

C. To assess within a RCT whether engagement with and/or adherence to the online Christian-based PA intervention (i.e. online workbooks completed, online text messages exchanged, phone sessions completed) predicts increased MVPA.

D. To compare the cost-effectiveness of the online Christian-based PA intervention to the comparison wait-list control condition at post-intervention (4 months) and at 2 months post-follow up (6 months).

Hypotheses

A. An increasing number of North Americans visit Christian online groups and programs and exchange dialogues on personally meaningful Christianity issues. Amidst the ~231 million Christians estimated to reside in North America, we believe an increasing proportion (30% to 40%) are engaging in online visits per month (Johnson et al., 2018).

B. The Christian-based CBT-PA intervention is more effective than the comparison (wait list control) condition in terms of significantly increased MVPA as assessed by self-report (IPAQ), Fitbit (online) tracked steps, and self-reported changes in body mass index (BMI).

C. Engagement in and adherence to the online Christian-based PA intervention (i.e. online workbooks completed, online text messages exchanged, phone sessions completed) will predict significantly increased MVPA in the experimental group.

D. The online Christian-based PA intervention program will be significantly more cost effective when compared to the comparison condition at postintervention and at 2 months follow up.

Conditions

Sedentary Behavior

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Experimental

Sixteen weeks of phone-based counselling at a rate of 1 session/week and ongoing access to a online platform (Nex J Connected Wellness) that has health promotion text and videos readily accessed in combination with text messaging exchanges between counselor and participant. Participants receive a Fitbit which is connected to the Nex J Connected Wellness such that counselors can monitor steps/day.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Online intervention

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Phone counselling for 1 hour/week over 16 weeks and access to the online platform with health promotion materials (videos, text, audios)

Wait list control

Participants wait for 16 weeks.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Online intervention

Phone counselling for 1 hour/week over 16 weeks and access to the online platform with health promotion materials (videos, text, audios)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

(1) 25 to 55 years old; (2) self-identification as a regular church attendee (Lazerwitz, 1962); (3) willingness to complete the Big Five Inventory (BFI) (John et al., 2008; John & Srivastava, 1999; (4) BFI scores that are 1 SD > the mean score typically derived in most published studies; (5) willingness to receive and use a loaned Fitbit Versa 2 delivered by FedEx and commit to wearing it during daytime hours on a daily basis for the duration of the 16 week intervention (6) BMI between 27 and 33; (7) fluent in English; (8) approval from a primary care physician for initiating a graded-incremental walking exercise routine; (9) ability to walk for 30 minutes at a time without significant self-identification of pain and/or orthopedic dysfunction.

Exclusion Criteria

-

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

York University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Paul Ritvo

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

York University - School of Kinesiology and Health Science

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Countries

Canada

Central Contacts

Paul G Ritvo, PhD

Role: CONTACT

pritvo@yorku.ca

14165808021

Paul G Ritvo, PhD

Role: CONTACT

pritvo@yorku.ca

4165808021

Other Identifiers

3835

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id