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Thøgersen-Ntoumani C, Grunseit A, Holtermann A, Steiner S, Tudor-Locke C, Koster A, Johnson N, Maher C, Ahmadi M, Chau JY, Stamatakis E. Promoting vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (vilpa) in middle-aged adults: an evaluation of the movsnax mobile app. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:2182. [PMID: 39135030 PMCID: PMC11318164 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-19549-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most adults fail to meet the moderate to vigorous physical activity-based recommendations needed to maintain or improve health. Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) refers to short (1-2 min) high-intensity activities that are integrated into activities of daily living. VILPA has shown strong potential to improve health and addresses commonly reported barriers to physical activity. However, it is unknown how VILPA can best be promoted among the adult population. This study aimed to evaluate the usability, user engagement, and satisfaction of a mobile application (MovSnax) designed to promote VILPA. METHODS A concurrent mixed methods design was used. It comprised four parts. Part A was a survey with n = 8 mHealth and physical activity experts who had used the app over 7-10 days. Part B was think-aloud interviews with n = 5 end-users aged 40-65 years old. Part C was a survey with a new group of 40-65-year-old end-users (n = 35) who had used the MovSnax app over 7-10 days. Part D was semi-structured interviews with n = 18 participants who took part in Part C. Directed content analysis was used to analyze the results from Parts A, B, and D, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze findings from Part C. RESULTS Participants reported positive views on the MovSnax app for promoting VILPA but also identified usability issues such as unclear purpose, difficulties in manual data entry, and limited customization options. Across the different data collections, they consistently emphasized the need for more motivational features, clearer feedback, and gamification elements to enhance engagement. Quantitative assessment showed satisfactory scores on objective measures but lower ratings on subjective aspects, possibly due to unfamiliarity with the VILPA concept and/or technical barriers. CONCLUSIONS The MovSnax app, tested in the present study, is the world's first digital tool aimed specifically at increasing VILPA. The findings of the present study underscore the need for further app refinement, focusing on clarifying its purpose and instructions, boosting user engagement through personalization and added motivational elements, enhancing accuracy in detecting VILPA bouts, implementing clearer feedback mechanisms, expanding customization choices (such as font size and comparative data), and ensuring transparent and meaningful activity tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani
- Danish Centre for Motivation and Behaviour Science (DRIVEN), Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Anne Grunseit
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Ultimo, NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Andreas Holtermann
- National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sarah Steiner
- Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, 1 John Hopkins Drive, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
| | - Catrine Tudor-Locke
- College of Health and Human Service, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Annemarie Koster
- Department of Social Medicine, CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Nathan Johnson
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, 1 John Hopkins Drive, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
| | - Carol Maher
- Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Matthew Ahmadi
- Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, 1 John Hopkins Drive, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
| | - Josephine Y Chau
- Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Emmanuel Stamatakis
- Mackenzie Wearables Research Hub, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, 1 John Hopkins Drive, Camperdown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2050, Australia
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Matteucci I, Corsi M. Adolescents' attitudes, habits, identity and social support in relation to physical activity after the COVID-19 pandemic. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11035. [PMID: 38745043 PMCID: PMC11094044 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60548-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
This study focuses on adolescents' cognitive processes, behaviors and social support (SS) as they relate to physical activity (PA) before and after the pandemic. The aims of the study were: (1) to investigate the changes in adolescents' engagement in moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and examine the changes in PA-related attitudes and behaviors before and after the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) to analyze the correlations between the significant changes that were found, PA engagement, and SS. The survey targeted third-year middle school students of Italian nationality, attending male and female mixed classes, residents in urban, periphery and sub-urban areas, living in families with different incomes, and different habits of engaging in PA. A longitudinal study was developed using a standardized questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered in April-May 2023 to a sample of 952 students aged 11/14 residing in the Marche region in Central Italy. Increasing values were found in the post-COVID-19 phase for all the cognitive processes and attitudes, in particular, those regarding habits (0.66 vs 0.50, + 32%) and identity (0.70 vs 0.55, + 27%) related to PA. Significant correlations were found between these values and VPA engagement and between the values of the same indicators and SS (p < 0.01). The strongest relationship was found with the dimension of identity (r = 0.51; r = 054).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Matteucci
- Department of Communication Sciences, International Studies and Humanities, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029, Urbino, PU, Italy.
| | - Mario Corsi
- Department of Communication Sciences, International Studies and Humanities, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, 61029, Urbino, PU, Italy
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Rhodes RE. Translating Physical Activity Intentions into Behavior: Reflective, Regulatory, and Reflexive Processes. Exerc Sport Sci Rev 2024; 52:13-22. [PMID: 38126402 DOI: 10.1249/jes.0000000000000329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this article was to review predictors of the physical activity (PA) intention-behavior relationship. The review provides evidence for the hypothesis that reflective (consciously deliberated expectations of PA), regulatory (tactics used to enact intentions), and reflexive (stimulus-based associative motivation) processes represent independent determinants of translating PA intentions into action, yet differ in relative contribution across time and circumstance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Rhodes
- Behavioural Medicine Laboratory, School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
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