Smartphone-based digital peer support for a walking intervention among public officers in Kanagawa prefecture: Single-arm pre-and post-intervention (Preprint)

Abstract

Digital peer support, defined as peer support delivered through technology and media, such as smartphone apps, may be promising for step-count promotion. Interactions among users had a positive impact on the retention rate, and apps with social elements showed significant improvements in daily step counts. However, the feasibility of digital peer support in promoting physical activity (PA) is unknown; therefore, its effectiveness on step counts and its clinical implications remains unconfirmed.

This study used retention rate and evaluated its feasibility during a three-month intervention period. Changes in daily step counts were reviewed, and the association between the achievement of daily step goals and increased daily step counts was examined. Changes in physical measurements, lifestyle characteristics, and psychosocial factors were compared before and after the intervention. The study design was a 3-month one-arm intervention with participants from local government offices in Kanagawa, Japan. We used an available and accessible smartphone app, Minchalle, as the tool for the group intervention.

The study design was a 3-month one-arm intervention with participants from local government offices in Kanagawa, Japan. We used an available and accessible smartphone app, Minchalle, as the tool for the group intervention.

Of the 63 participants who enrolled, 62 completed the intervention. The retention rate was 98% (62/63). The average daily step count during the intervention was 6,993 (standard deviation (SD):2,328), a 1,182-step increase compared to that observed one week before the intervention began. The achievement rate of daily step counts during the intervention was 53.5% (SD: 26.2). There was a significant correlation (r=0.27, P=.05) between achieving and increasing the daily step count. Comparative analyses showed that changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), somatic fat rate, systolic blood pressure (sBP), and diastolic blood pressure (dBP) were significantly different before and after the intervention (weight: 68.56 kg (SD: 16.97) vs 67.30 kg (SD: 16.86), P<.01, BMI: 24.82 kg/m2 (SD: 4.80) vs 24.35 kg/m2 (SD: 4.73), P<.01, Somatic fat rate: 28.50% (SD: 4.84) vs 26.58% (SD: 7.90), P<01, sBP: 130.42 mmHg (SD: 17.92) vs 122.00 mmHg (SD: 15.06), P<.01, and dBP: 83.24 mmHg (SD: 13.27) vs 77.92 mmHg (SD: 11.71), P<.01, respectively). Similarly, daily amount of PA significantly improved from 5.77 metabolic equivalents (METs) hour per day (SD: 3.81) to 9.85 METs-hour/day (SD: 7.84), P<.01. However, no significant differences were observed in lifestyle characteristics or psychosocial factors.

This study demonstrated that digital peer support proved feasible for maintaining high retention rate and can, therefore, effectively promote PA. It can be a promising tool for improving daily step counts, subjective PA, and clinical outcomes, such as weight, BMI, somatic fat rate, and blood pressure.

UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000042520