Smart Walk: A Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention for African American Women

Smart Walk: An Efficacy Trial of a Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention for African American Women

The purpose of this study is to test a culturally tailored, smartphone-delivered intervention designed to increase physical activity and reduce risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes among African American women.

This study addresses major public health concerns among African American women: physical inactivity and cardiometabolic disease risk.

African American women experience a high burden of cardiometabolic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Regular aerobic physical activity is an established behavior to prevent and treat these conditions. Yet, the many African American women are insufficiently active, with only 27-40% meeting national aerobic physical activity guidelines.

This study will test the efficacy of Smart Walk, a culturally tailored, theory-based smartphone-delivered intervention designed to increase physical activity and improve cardiometabolic disease risk factors among African American women. In a 12-month trial, participants will be randomly assigned to either the Smart Walk intervention or a Fitbit-only comparison arm for an active 4-month intervention period, followed by an 8-month minimal contact follow-up period.

Specific Aims:

1. Test the effects of Smart Walk to increase physical activity and promote adherence to national aerobic physical activity guidelines; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group.
2. Test the effects of Smart Walk to improve cardiometabolic risk factors; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group.
3. Compare cost and cost effectiveness of the two intervention groups from a societal perspective.
4. Examine if protocol adherence predicts outcomes and potential mediation and moderation of intervention effects on physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Self-reported African American/Black female
• Aged of 24-65 years
• Insufficiently Active (< 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week as measured by Exercise Vital Sign Questionnaire)
• BMI > 25 kg/m2
• English speaking and reading
• Ownership of a smartphone with the ability to download applications (i.e., apps)
• Ownership of a smartphone with the ability to receive text messages
• Willingness to receive a physical activity intervention delivered through their smartphone
• Willingness to include their first name or create an alias to be used on their profile page on the Smart Walk app

Exclusion Criteria:

• Plans to relocate out of Phoenix area in next 12 months
• Endorsing an item on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), unless a doctor's note for study participation in provided
• Resting systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mmHG and/or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 120 mmHG , as assessed at baseline or at any other study assessment
• Self-reported participation in another diet or weight loss study at screening
• Pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 12 months