Web plans built exercise and diet habits briefly, but not by three months
Who it’s about: Adults
- Mixed
Plans for when, where and how to move built a stronger habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.
- Action: Make an if-then plan for your obstacletested
- Rule: Write down when and wheretested
- Rule: Get feedback on your progresstested
- Rule: Get a remindertested
- Action: Exerciseused
- Rule: Through an online programmeused
- Rule: In weekly sessionsused
Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
- Mixed
The same web plans built a stronger fruit and vegetable habit at 8 weeks, but not at 3 months.
- Action: Make an if-then plan for your obstacletested
- Rule: Write down when and wheretested
- Rule: Get feedback on your progresstested
- Rule: Get a remindertested
- Action: Eat fruit and vegetablesused
- Rule: Through an online programmeused
- Rule: In weekly sessionsused
Randomised trial of 790 adults in Germany and the Netherlands · vs people who were waiting for the programme · they rated themselves · ⚠ many people dropped out; numbers unreliable; summary claims more than the results show
The study
Who took part
790 adults aged 20 to 85 took part in Germany and the Netherlands. They wanted to move more and eat more fruit and vegetables. They were about 51 on average, and about 6 in 10 were women.
What they did
One group got 8 weekly web sessions. The first four were on being active, the last four on fruit and vegetables. Each gave feedback on what the person did. People set goals and wrote plans for when, where and how to act. They also planned for obstacles, and got weekly reminder emails. The other group waited and got the programme later.
What happened
After 8 weeks, the programme group said both habits had grown stronger than in the waiting group. At 3 months there was no difference for either habit. About 3 in 4 people had dropped out by 8 weeks. On average people did only 2 of the 8 sessions, and some of the paper's numbers don't add up.
Source
Effectiveness of a Web-Based Computer-Tailored Multiple-Lifestyle Intervention for People Interested in Reducing their Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial (2016)
DOI: 10.2196/jmir.5147 (opens in a new tab)Tools in this study
Action4
Make an if-then plan for your obstacleImplementation intentions or WOOP/MCII: if this obstacle happens, then I will do that.
