See the published version of this article at International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
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Eric Finkelstein
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6443-9686
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Background: Insufficient physical activity is a global public health concern. Research indicates incentives can increase physical activity levels of children but has not tested whether incentives targeted at children can be leveraged to increase physical activity levels of their parents. This study evaluates whether a novel incentive design linking children’s incentives to both their and their parent’s physical activity levels can increase parent’s physical activity.
Methods: We conducted a two-arm, parallel, open-labelled randomized controlled trial in Singapore where parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to either (1) rewards to child contingent on child’s physical activity (child-based) or (2) rewards to child contingent on both child’s and parent’s physical activity (family-based). Parents had to be English-speaking, computer-literate, non-pregnant, full-time employees, aged 25–65 years, and with a participating child aged 7–11 years. Parent-child dyads were randomized within strata (self-reported low vs high weekly physical activity) into study arms in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were given activity trackers to assess daily steps. The outcome of interest was the between-arm difference in the change from baseline in parent’s mean steps/day measured by accelerometry at months 6 and 12 (primary endpoint).
Results: Overall, 159 and 157 parent-child dyads were randomized to the child-based or family-based arms, respectively. Outcomes were evaluated on an intent-to-treat basis. At month 6, there was a 613 steps/day (95% CI: 54–1171) differential in favour of family-based parents. At month 12, our primary endpoint, the differential was reduced to 369 steps/day (95% CI: -88–1114) and was no longer statistically significant.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that novel incentive designs that take advantage of group dynamics may be effective. However, in this design, the effectiveness of the family-based incentive to increase parent’s physical activity was not sustained through one year.
Trial registration: NCT02516345 (ClinicalTrials.gov) registered on August 5, 2015
Keywords
Physical activity, incentives, group, rewards, randomized controlled trial, activity tracker, accelerometer, parents, children, steps
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 04 Aug, 2020
Published
On 10 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 24 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 14 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 26 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 15 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 13 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 12 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 07 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Apr, 2020
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PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
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This preprint is under consideration at International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
Eric Finkelstein
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6443-9686
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
Version 2
Posted 04 Aug, 2020
Published
On 10 Sep, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 03 Sep, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 19 Aug, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 03 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 28 Jul, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 28 Jul, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 27 Jul, 2020
Editor invited
On 27 Jul, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 24 Jun, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 14 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 26 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 12 May, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 21 Apr, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 15 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 13 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 12 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 07 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 07 Apr, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Background: Insufficient physical activity is a global public health concern. Research indicates incentives can increase physical activity levels of children but has not tested whether incentives targeted at children can be leveraged to increase physical activity levels of their parents. This study evaluates whether a novel incentive design linking children’s incentives to both their and their parent’s physical activity levels can increase parent’s physical activity.
Methods: We conducted a two-arm, parallel, open-labelled randomized controlled trial in Singapore where parent-child dyads were randomly assigned to either (1) rewards to child contingent on child’s physical activity (child-based) or (2) rewards to child contingent on both child’s and parent’s physical activity (family-based). Parents had to be English-speaking, computer-literate, non-pregnant, full-time employees, aged 25–65 years, and with a participating child aged 7–11 years. Parent-child dyads were randomized within strata (self-reported low vs high weekly physical activity) into study arms in a 1:1 ratio. Participants were given activity trackers to assess daily steps. The outcome of interest was the between-arm difference in the change from baseline in parent’s mean steps/day measured by accelerometry at months 6 and 12 (primary endpoint).
Results: Overall, 159 and 157 parent-child dyads were randomized to the child-based or family-based arms, respectively. Outcomes were evaluated on an intent-to-treat basis. At month 6, there was a 613 steps/day (95% CI: 54–1171) differential in favour of family-based parents. At month 12, our primary endpoint, the differential was reduced to 369 steps/day (95% CI: -88–1114) and was no longer statistically significant.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that novel incentive designs that take advantage of group dynamics may be effective. However, in this design, the effectiveness of the family-based incentive to increase parent’s physical activity was not sustained through one year.
Trial registration: NCT02516345 (ClinicalTrials.gov) registered on August 5, 2015
Figure 1
Figure 2
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