70 Participants Needed

Incentives for Physical Activity in Older Adults

Recruiting at 1 trial location
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: University of California, San Diego
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, leading to chronic diseases. Much of the world's population is inactive, and older adults are at highest risk. Incentive-based interventions show promise for improving activity levels. The investigators propose to conduct a study to evaluate the impact of incentives on physical activity of older adults (55 and above). Half the participants will receive additional incentives for walking throughout the study. Their step count and physical/mental health will be compared to a control group. The investigators will track the physical activity of participants using Fitbits and will encourage physical activity through making meal donations on behalf of participants (prosocial incentives) and giving them gift cards that can be redeemed at local businesses (personal incentives). Physical and mental health before and after the study will also be assessed using a written survey.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for older adults aged 55 and above who can walk independently but are not very active, walking outside their home or yard for fun or exercise only 'never' or 'seldom'. Participants must own a smartphone to track their activity.

Inclusion Criteria

I can walk on my own without help.
If you went outside your home or yard for fun or exercise in the past week Never, Seldom (1-2 days), Sometimes (3-4 days) or Often (5-7 days) and answered Never or Seldom, then you are eligible to participate.
I am 60 years old or older.
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Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week
1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Participants' baseline physical activity is collected using Fitbit for 1 week

1 week
Data collection via Fitbit

Treatment

Participants receive incentives for meeting step goals; step count is tracked using Fitbit

4 weeks
Data collection via Fitbit

Follow-up

Participants' physical activity and mental health are assessed post-treatment

1 week
Data collection via Fitbit and survey

Treatment Details

Interventions

  • Incentives for Physical Activity
Trial Overview The study tests if incentives like meal donations and gift cards can increase physical activity in older adults. Half will receive these incentives for walking more, while the other half won't. Activity is tracked via Fitbits, with health assessed before and after.
Participant Groups
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: TreatmentExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Fitabase collects data from Fitbits worn by the participants. Under the treatment functionality, participants earn a meal donation for each day that they meet the step goal and a monetary incentive for each day they meet the step goal (for upto 5 days a week). The investigators identified 7,500 steps as an appropriate goal as studies show older adults walk 4,000 steps on average. Meals are donated by the investigators on behalf of participants.
Group II: ControlActive Control1 Intervention
The control group will not have the functionality to earn meal donations or monetary incentives by walking, and will only be asked to wear their Fitbit so that step count data can be collected.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, San Diego

Lead Sponsor

Trials
1,215
Recruited
1,593,000+

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials
1,841
Recruited
28,150,000+

University of Southern California

Collaborator

Trials
956
Recruited
1,609,000+
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