TaylorActive--Examining the effectiveness of web-based personally-tailored videos to increase physical activity: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity levels are unacceptably high and effective interventions that can increase physical activity in large populations at low cost are urgently needed. Web-based interventions that use computer-tailoring have shown to be effective, though people tend to 'skim' and 'scan' text on the Internet rather than thoroughly read it. The use of online videos is, however, popular and engaging. Therefore, the aim of this 3-group randomised controlled trial is to examine whether a web-based physical activity intervention that provides personally-tailored videos is more effective when compared with traditional personally-tailored text-based intervention and a control group. METHODS/DESIGN: In total 510 Australians will be recruited through social media advertisements, e-mail and third party databases. Participants will be randomised to one of three groups: text-tailored, video-tailored, or control. All groups will gain access to the same web-based platform and a library containing brief physical activity articles. The text-tailored group will additionally have access to 8 sessions of personalised physical activity advice that is instantaneously generated based on responses to brief online surveys. The theory-based advice will be provided over a period of 3 months and address constructs such as self-efficacy, motivation, goal setting, intentions, social support, attitudes, barriers, outcome expectancies, relapse prevention and feedback on performance. Text-tailored participants will also be able to complete 7 action plans to help them plan what, when, where, who with, and how they will become more active. Participants in the video-tailored group will gain access to the same intervention content as those in the text-tailored group, however all sessions will be provided as personalised videos rather than text on a webpage. The control group will only gain access to the library with generic physical activity articles. The primary outcome is objectively measured physical activity. Secondary outcomes include website engagement and retention, quality of life, depression, anxiety, stress, sitting time, sleep and psychosocial correlates of physical activity. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, 3, and 9 months. DISCUSSION: This study presents an ideal opportunity to study the effectiveness of an isolated feature within a web-based physical activity intervention and the knowledge generated from this study will help to increase intervention effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New-Zealand Clinical Trial Registry: ACTRN12615000057583 . Registered 22 January 2015. CQUniversity Ethics Project Number: H14/07-163.

Prevalence and correlates of resistance training in a regional Australian population.

BACKGROUND: The core components of physical activity, cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, balance and flexibility can provide many health benefits and potentially slow declines associated with aging. Aerobic exercise message to the public has been widely promoted by national health authorities, although the promotion of resistance training has received far less attention. OBJECTIVES: In this research, the prevalence of resistance training in a sample of adults living in regional Australia was primarily assessed. DESIGN: A computer-assisted telephone interview survey (n=1230) was conducted by the Population Research Laboratory at Central Queensland University on Queensland adults in October to November 2006. Respondents were asked to report the frequency with which they engaged in resistance training. PARTICIPANTS: Respondents were 18 years or older that could be contacted by direct-dialled, land-based telephone service. A telephone database using a computer program to select, with replacement, a simple random sample of phone numbers selected respondents. RESULTS: Almost 14% of the population did some form of gym-based resistance training in the week before the survey. There was a significant (p<0.05) reduction in participation levels with age. Participation was highest amongst the youngest 18-34-year-olds (23.8%), steadily declining with age to a low of 7% in the 55 years and older age group. There was no significant association between sexes and participation in resistance training. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the need to increase overall education on the benefits of resistance training with an emphasis among targeted adult populations to increase participation in resistance training.

A comparison of face-to-face or internet-delivered physical activity intervention on targeted determinants.

This article describes the equivalency testing results of a 12-week behavior change program on targeted determinates of physical activity (PA) and self-reported health status. Participants (n = 192) were randomized to face-to-face, combined Internet and face-to-face, and Internet-only groups. Equivalency testing was used to examine differences and statistical equivalency across groups for all outcome measures (social support, self-efficacy, perceived health status, and motivational readiness for PA). Participants were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and 2 and 5 months postintervention. Motivational readiness for PA increased across all groups. The face-to-face and combined groups showed changes in social support; however, they were not statistically different and were equivalent. There were no changes in self-efficacy or physical health status. Overall face-to-face and the Internet delivery modes show similar results. If Internet-based programs can be shown to be as effective as face-to-face, they may in turn be a more efficient and cost-effective delivery method.

Whole of community physical activity interventions: easier said than done.

OBJECTIVES: To reflect on whole community intervention approaches to promoting physical activity, using experiences from the 10,000 Steps Rockhampton project. DESIGN: Many studies are quasi-experimental with single site intervention and comparison communities. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Whole communities. INTERVENTION: Coordinated multiple strategies designed to address individual, interpersonal and environmental determinants of physical activity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Physical activity RESULTS: There are many challenges to conducting whole community interventions. Developing community partnerships and coalitions, reaching socially disadvantaged groups, and developing effective evaluation methods are identified as specific concerns. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the challenges, the whole community approach still offers tremendous potential for developing the social and cultural change which will be required for sustained improvements in population physical activity.

The epidemiology of medically attended sport and recreational injuries in Queensland.

The Queensland Sport and Recreation Injury Survey (QSRIS) is a retrospective study describing the annual incidence of injuries in the state of Queensland, Australia, resulting from sport and recreational activity involvement. Data were collected by means of a computer-assisted-telephone-interview (CATI) survey of a representative sample of Queenslanders in the spring of 2000. The sample produced a total of 1337 respondents aged 18 to 94 years. The survey asked information regarding medically attended, non-fatal injuries resulting from sport and recreational activities in the past 12 months. Of the 1337 individuals surveyed, 191 of the respondents reported one or more injuries that required medical attention resulting in a total of 222 Injuries. This represents an overall rate of 1,666 medically attended injuries per 10,000 people. Among those reporting a sport or recreational injury, the most common types of injuries were a strained/pulled muscle (30.9%), sprained/torn ligament (24.1%), and fracture (12.6%). The most common bodily locations of injuries were the shoulders (13.0%) and knees (12.5%). Results detail the nature and type of injury, medical professional attending to the injury and the nature of the sport or recreational activity that led to the reported injury, highlighting the number of injuries associated with general fitness activities achieved through high participation rates and low injury rates. This remains an area of much needed attention given the promotional push towards raising the levels of physical activity at a population level.

Understanding physical activity intention in Canadian school children and youth: an application of the theory of planned behavior.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the theory of planned behavior in predicting physical activity intention in a nationwide sample of Canadian children and youth. The study sample consisted of participants from Grades 3, 5, 8, and 11 from schools across Canada. School participation was determined by means of a randomly stratified sample design. Results show that the direct measures of the theory of planned behavior explained 47% of the variability in the measure of physical activity intention. In addition, notable differences in the relative contributions of the predictor variables of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control were found across grade and grade-by-gender subgroups. The present study provides evidence that in a population of children and youth the determinants display a pattern of change developmentally.

A descriptive epidemiology of sport and recreation injuries in a population-based sample: results from the Alberta Sport and Recreation Injury Survey (ASRIS).

The 1996 Alberta Sport and Recreation Injury Survey is a retrospective study describing the annual incidence of injuries in the province of Alberta resulting from sport and recreational involvement. Data was collected by means of a telephone survey using random digit dialing techniques to obtain a representative sample of Albertans in the winter of 1995-96. The sample produced a total of 3,790 respondents from 1,478 households evenly split between genders, with an age range of 6 to 93 years. The survey asked information regarding medically attended, non-fatal injuries resulting from sport and recreational activities. Findings reveal an annual incidence of sport or recreational injuries of 11%. Among those reporting a sport or recreational injury, the most common types of injuries were a sprained/torn ligament (31%), strained/pulled muscle (19%), and fracture (13%). The most common bodily locations of injuries were the knees (21%) and the ankle (14%).