Exploring the Effect of an Intervention on Women's Physical Activity Behaviour

Exploring the Effect of an eHealth Intervention on Women's Physical Activity Behaviour

Physical activity has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and promote physical and mental health and wellbeing, yet few women are active enough to see these benefits. Wearable activity trackers show promise for helping people increase their physical activity levels by supporting self-monitoring. However, few researchers have examined how providing people with these devices impacts physical activity levels, or motivation for physical activity which is a significant and robust predictor of physical activity. Based on previous research, it is possible that women's physical activity levels would be more likely to increase if they received an autonomy-supportive intervention to enhance motivation in addition to a wearable activity tracker. A pilot, three-armed randomized controlled trial was developed to test this hypothesis and to assess if changes in perceived autonomy-support, basic psychological need satisfaction/thwarting, motivational regulations, wellbeing indicators are associated with changes in physical activity over time.

All participants will need to meet the following inclusion criteria to participate in the intervention:

1. Are a woman between the ages of 18 and 65 years
2. Can understand, read, and speak in English
3. Are able to safely engage in physical activity
4. Are not currently pregnant or lactating
5. Currently participating in less than 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity and less than two strength training sessions per week
6. Are overweight or obese (i.e., have a body mass index greater than 25kg/m2)
7. Have access to the Internet and an email account
8. Have not used a wearable activity tracker within the past year (e.g., Fitbit, Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar)
9. Live within 50km of the University of Ottawa