Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviors of Adults 18 to 80 Years of Age
Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviors of Adults 18 to 80 Years of Age
This research will focus on the effect of a 6-month behavioral intervention delivered via the World Wide Web that is aimed at increasing physical activity levels and decreasing dietary fat intake in a general population of adults. The study will be randomized and blinded. We are also planning to study subjects' compliance and retention rates when enrolled in a completely on-line study.
The research is designed as a prospective multi-site, randomized, blinded trial.
Participants will fill out an initial questionnaire 72 hours (time 0) after completing the inclusion/exclusion questionnaire and consent documents. An email will be sent sixty (60) hours after participants who agreed to the online consent and HIPAA articles. Subjects who have consented to participate in the trial will not be considered as enrolled until after they have completed their time 0 data forms and completed the education module.
The subjects will be randomly assigned to either the minimum or maximum treatment group. Both groups will be sent an email reminder 7 days prior to their "follow-up" date. They will then be sent an email reminder 24 hours prior to their "follow-up" date. Subjects will receive an email reminder every 48 hours until 336 hours (14 days) post visit date. Reminder emails will also state that those subjects not completing their "follow-up" visit within the visit window will be withdrawn from the study. Subjects will be not be blinded as to how frequently they will be required to make "follow-up" visits to the site.
Group A: Minimum Intervention Group A will fill out data forms at zero (0), two (2), four (4), and six (6) months.
Group B: Maximum Intervention Group B will fill out data forms at zero (0), one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5), and six (6) months.
A short online education module will be given after the initial surveys (time 0) have been completed by the study subject. They will receive their initial "feedback" letter after completing the education module. It will also tell them the date of their "follow-up" visit, and that they will be periodically prompted to return to the site and complete a questionnaire.
Both groups will receive a "feedback" letter upon completion of each online "follow-up" visit. This letter will give them "feedback" based off of how they answered their data forms. All "feedback" given will be based off of established recommended physical activity and the USDA food pyramid guidelines. The BMI will be calculated; BMI = weight (kg)/height2 (m2).
Subjects in both groups who have not completed their "follow-up" visits after 336 hours (14 days) post visit date will be sent an email notifying them that they have been dropped from the study.
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
-Individuals who do not have access to the Internet