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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03634423

Enduring Exercise Habits

The objective of this study is to test whether the interventions offering short-term incentives (points redeemable for prizes), specific cued plans, and science-backed tips can help with creating enduring exercise habits. There are four (4) sub-studies within this protocol.

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Key information

Conditions

Healthy

Age range

18 year–100 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States

About this study

The four sub-studies are:

  • Sweet spot

Past studies have shown that steady routines associated with stable cues are a hallmark of successful habits. However, recent research has demonstrated that incentivizing an overly rigid routine (e.g., every workout must be at the same time each day) creates a less lasting exercise habit than incentivizing a flexible exercise routine (e.g., workouts can be at any time of day). In this study, the investigators examine whether offering higher rewards for exercise that occurs at a planned, routine time than for exercise at other times, but still offering some rewards for exercise outside of these planned moments, may improve over total flexibility for producing lasting habits.

  • Falling off the Wagon (FOTW)

In the long run, missing one workout won't make much difference to a person's overall health. Psychologically, however, missing a workout may lead people to feel they've already failed at meeting their fitness goals, zapping their motivation to exercise in the future. In this study, the investigators examine whether offering 50% larger incentive for exercise to people after they miss a planned workout leads to more sustained exercise habits than incentivizing all workouts equally.

  • Think Twice

Studies have shown that people tend to fall into the planning fallacy -- optimistically overestimating their performance in some future activity. In this study, the investigators examine whether people who the investigators taught about the planning fallacy would make more realistic exercise plans and adhere to those plans better.

  • Weekly vs. Daily Routines (WDR)

This study will examine whether incentivizing people to create a daily routine that is consistent every day for a month or a weekly routine that is consistent every week for a month helps people build a more lasting exercise habit. In the daily routines condition, participants will be required to schedule workouts (and associated text reminders) at the same time of day on every weekday, and the same time of day on each weekend throughout our four week treatment period. In the weekly routines condition, participants will be allowed to schedule workouts (and associated text reminders) at different times on different days of the week, but their schedule must be the same for each of the four weeks of our four week treatment period.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Has 24 Hour Fitness Membership

Exclusion criteria

-

Treatment and study plan

Sweet Spot: Flexible high incentive condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Sweet Spot: Flexible low incentive condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Sweet Spot: Rigid high incentive condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Sweet Spot: Rigid low incentive condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

FOTW: High incentive control condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

FOTW: Low incentive control condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

FOTW: High incentive treatment condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

FOTW: Low incentive treatment condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Think Twice: Control condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Think Twice: Treatment condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

WDR: Control condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

WDR: Treatment condition

Behavioral

Participants receive text reminders 30 minutes before their workouts and weekly emails reminding them of their schedule.

Primary outcomes

  1. Each participant's number of gym visits per week

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  2. Each participant's number of gym visits per week

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  3. Each participant's number of gym visits per week

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  4. Each participant's number of gym visits per week

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

  5. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  6. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  7. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  8. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

  9. Each participant's number of gym visits per week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  10. Each participant's number of gym visits per week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  11. Each participant's number of gym visits per week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  12. Each participant's number of gym visits per week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

  13. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  14. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  15. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  16. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week at scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

  17. Each participant's number of gym visits per week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  18. Each participant's number of gym visits per week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  19. Each participant's number of gym visits per week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  20. Each participant's number of gym visits per week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

  21. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 intervention weeks

  22. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 4 weeks post-intervention

  23. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 10 weeks post-intervention

  24. Binary variable capturing whether or not a participant had any gym visits in a given week outside of scheduled workout times

    Time frame: During the 52 weeks post-intervention

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2018
Primary completion
2019
Study completion
2019
First posted
Aug 16, 2018
Registry last updated
Jul 8, 2020

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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