Can a ‘rewards-for-exercise app’ increase physical activity, subjective well-being and sleep quality? An open-label single-arm trial among university staff with low to moderate physical activity levels

BMC Public Health

Lukasz Walasek¹  Nicole K. Y. Tang¹  Sakari Lemola²  Anu Realo³  Anna Gkiouleka⁴  Mark T. Elliott⁵  Brieze Read⁵ 

[1] Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, University Road, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK;Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, University Road, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK;Department of Psychology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany;Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, University Road, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK;Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia;Department of Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK;Institute of Digital Healthcare, WMG, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK;

关键词: Mobile applications;    Physical activity;    Subjective well-being;    Sleep quality;    Behaviour change;    Extrinsic incentives;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12889-021-10794-w

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThis study examined the impact of a ‘rewards-for-exercise’ mobile application on physical activity, subjective well-being and sleep quality among 148 employees in a UK university with low to moderate physical activity levels.MethodsA three-month open-label single-arm trial with a one-year follow-up after the end of the trial. Participants used the Sweatcoin application which converted their outdoor steps into a virtual currency used for the purchase of products available at the university campus’ outlets, using an in-app marketplace. The primary outcome measure was self-reported physical activity. Secondary measures included device-measured physical activity, subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive affect, negative affect), and self-reported sleep quality.ResultsThe findings show an increase in self-reported physical activity (d = 0.34), life satisfaction (d = 0.31), positive affect (d = 0.29), and sleep quality (d = 0.22) during the three-month trial period.ConclusionThe study suggests that mobile incentives-for-exercise applications might increase physical activity levels, positive affect, and sleep quality, at least in the short term. The observed changes were not sustained 12 months after the end of the trial.

【 授权许可】

CC BY