Text Messaging Intervention for Sedentary Lifestyle

Overseen By Karen Basen-Engquist, MD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: Ambulatory assistance, MD Anderson employees, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Text Messaging Intervention for Sedentary Lifestyle?

Research shows that text messaging can effectively support behavior change, including increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior. Text messages are widely accessible, inexpensive, and have been successful in promoting healthy behaviors like smoking cessation and weight loss. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is text messaging intervention safe for humans?

Text messaging interventions are generally considered safe for humans, as they are widely used and involve sending messages to support behavior change without any direct physical intervention. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

How is the text messaging treatment for sedentary lifestyle different from other treatments?

This treatment is unique because it uses mobile phone text messages to encourage behavior change, which is widely accessible, inexpensive, and provides instant communication. Unlike traditional methods, it leverages technology to deliver timely reminders and support, making it a novel approach for addressing sedentary behavior. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

What is the purpose of this trial?

To learn if an 8-week, phone-based texting intervention program will reduce sedentary (non-mobile) behavior.

Research Team

Karen M. Basen-Engquist

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults over 18 who own a smartphone, can use WiFi or mobile data, have an email address (or are willing to create one), can read and understand English, consent to participate, are open to receiving texts and completing questionnaires on their phone. It's not for those who don't want their activity tracked or need walking aids due to medical conditions.

Inclusion Criteria

Has an email address or willing to create one

Able to read and understand English

I am willing to get texts and answer short surveys on my phone.

Exclusion Criteria

Unwilling to have sedentary behavior and activity tracked

I need a device like a cane or walker to walk due to a health condition.

MD Anderson employees that report to the Principal Investigators of this study

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive an 8-week phone-based texting intervention program to reduce sedentary behavior

8 weeks

Remote participation via text messages

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in sedentary behavior and physical activity after the intervention

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• FitBit
• Mobile Phone Text-based Intervention

Trial Overview The TEXT2MOVE study is testing whether an 8-week program that sends health-related text messages can help people sit less and be more active. Participants will receive these texts on their phones and may also use a FitBit device.

Participant Groups

Group I: Fit Bit (Study Groups) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants wear a Fitbit every day for 8 weeks to record the number of steps you take

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

Findings from Research

A systematic review of 13 studies found that SMS interventions showed some promise in improving physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior among youth, with 7 interventions improving physical activity and 6 improving sedentary behavior.

However, the studies varied widely in design and outcomes, leading to high risk of bias and making it difficult to determine which specific elements of the SMS interventions were most effective.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text Messaging Interventions for Improvement in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Youth: Systematic Review. Ludwig, K., Arthur, R., Sculthorpe, N., et al.[2019]

A systematic review of 12 studies involving text messaging interventions for behavior change found that 8 out of 9 sufficiently powered studies supported its effectiveness in promoting health behavior changes over periods ranging from 3 to 12 months.

The review highlighted the need for more research in developing countries, as most studies were conducted in developed nations, despite the potential for text messaging to be a low-cost health intervention globally.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text messaging as a tool for behavior change in disease prevention and management. Cole-Lewis, H., Kershaw, T.[2022]

A total of 124 SMS text messages were developed to support diet and exercise behavior change after a diabetes prevention program, using the Behaviour Change Wheel framework to ensure they were theory-based and effective.

After evaluation by 18 participants, 61.3% of the messages were refined for clarity and relevance, resulting in a final bank of 120 messages that were well-received by both users and coaches, demonstrating a structured approach to developing effective mobile health interventions.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation and Refinement of a Bank of SMS Text Messages to Promote Behavior Change Adherence Following a Diabetes Prevention Program: Survey Study. MacPherson, M., Cranston, K., Johnston, C., et al.[2021]

Text messaging is a highly effective and low-cost tool for promoting health behavior change, providing real-time support and engagement, especially in low-resource settings.

Systematic reviews show that text message interventions can significantly improve health outcomes in areas like smoking cessation, medication adherence, and self-management of chronic conditions, yet they are underutilized on a large scale.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Old-Fashioned Technology in the Era of "Bling": Is There a Future for Text Messaging in Health Care? Willcox, JC., Dobson, R., Whittaker, R.[2020]

In the HealthyYou text (HYTxt) program, 43% of participants dropped out, with 65% of those leaving within the first two weeks, highlighting a significant early dropout issue.

Participants with higher levels of autonomous motivation were less likely to drop out early, suggesting that enhancing this type of motivation could improve retention and effectiveness of health behavior change programs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Baseline Motivation Type as a Predictor of Dropout in a Healthy Eating Text Messaging Program. Coa, K., Patrick, H.[2018]

Office workers who received activity-promoting text messages sat significantly less during the message-receiving period (4.9 hours/day) compared to those who did not receive messages (6.0 hours/day), indicating that text messages can temporarily reduce sedentary behavior.

However, this reduction in sitting time did not lead to lasting changes in sedentary behavior after the intervention ended, nor did it result in improvements in cardiometabolic health markers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Interrupting Sedentary Behavior on the Cardiometabolic Health of Adults With Sedentary Occupations: A Pilot Study. Dunning, JR., McVeigh, JA., Goble, D., et al.[2022]

The TEXT ME text message intervention significantly increased recreational and travel physical activity in patients with coronary heart disease, with participants reporting 471 MET-min/week compared to 307 MET-min/week in the control group after six months.

Patients who received both the TEXT ME intervention and traditional cardiac rehabilitation were much more likely to reach target physical activity levels, with an odds ratio of 7.07 compared to 1.80 for those receiving only cardiac rehabilitation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patterns, predictors and effects of texting intervention on physical activity in CHD - insights from the TEXT ME randomized clinical trial. Thakkar, J., Redfern, J., Thiagalingam, A., et al.[2022]

An interactive text messaging campaign was developed for 160 parents to support behavior change in their children as part of a childhood obesity trial, with 1-2 messages sent weekly over a year.

The intervention showed high engagement, with nearly two-thirds of parents responding to 75% or more of the text messages, indicating that text messaging is an effective tool for promoting health behavior changes among parents.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and Implementation of an Interactive Text Messaging Campaign to Support Behavior Change in a Childhood Obesity Randomized Controlled Trial. Price, S., Ferisin, S., Sharifi, M., et al.[2022]

References

1. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text Messaging Interventions for Improvement in Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Youth: Systematic Review. [2019]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Text messaging as a tool for behavior change in disease prevention and management. [2022]

3. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evaluation and Refinement of a Bank of SMS Text Messages to Promote Behavior Change Adherence Following a Diabetes Prevention Program: Survey Study. [2021]

4. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Old-Fashioned Technology in the Era of "Bling": Is There a Future for Text Messaging in Health Care? [2020]

5. Canada pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Baseline Motivation Type as a Predictor of Dropout in a Healthy Eating Text Messaging Program. [2018]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Interrupting Sedentary Behavior on the Cardiometabolic Health of Adults With Sedentary Occupations: A Pilot Study. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patterns, predictors and effects of texting intervention on physical activity in CHD - insights from the TEXT ME randomized clinical trial. [2022]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and Implementation of an Interactive Text Messaging Campaign to Support Behavior Change in a Childhood Obesity Randomized Controlled Trial. [2022]