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Go for a walk

Walking, including brisk walks.

A smiling woman in a striped jumper and checked trousers walks briskly on a cobbled path under the sun.

Studies (5)

  1. Paper

    Group habit meetings made daily brisk walks feel more automatic, still two years later
    UsedHelped

    Group meetings on a daily brisk walk made walking feel more automatic than tip sheets did, still two years later.

    Randomised trial of 618 adults with metabolic syndrome in the US · vs a Fitbit, monthly tip sheets and phone calls · they rated themselves

  2. Paper

    Typing blood pressure into a text got it sent more often than an app
    UsedNo comparison

    Daily steps roughly doubled during the programme and stayed up for 12 weeks, with no other group to compare.

    Small randomised trial of 47 adults with kidney disease and high blood pressure · no comparison group · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ no untreated control group; pre-post step counts only

  3. Paper

    After using a walking app with two coaching calls, brisk walking felt more automatic
    UsedNo comparison

    After planning 10-minute brisk walks with an app and two coach calls, brisk walking felt more automatic. There was no other group to compare with.

    Small study of one group of 44 inactive adults after cancer treatment · no comparison group · they rated themselves · ⚠ groups weren't properly compared; results not tested statistically

  4. Paper

    Daily phone reminders did not make a walking habit feel more automatic
    UsedNo difference

    Days with a phone reminder before the daily cue left the walking habit no stronger than days without one.

    Very small randomised trial of 24 adults in Switzerland who wanted more activity · vs days without a phone reminder · they rated themselves · ⚠ not yet checked by other scientists

  5. Paper

    Reminder emails about a step bonus raised walking, but the gain faded
    UsedHelped

    With a two-week step bonus, people who got reminder emails walked about 330 more steps a day.

    Large randomised trial of 2,055 users of a step-reward app with a Fitbit · vs the same step bonus without reminder emails · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ student thesis, not checked by other scientists; summary claims more than the results show

    UsedMixed

    The reminder group still walked about 300 more steps a day for two weeks after the bonus, but not later.

    Large randomised trial of 2,055 users of a step-reward app with a Fitbit · vs the same step bonus without reminder emails · behaviour was recorded · ⚠ student thesis, not checked by other scientists; summary claims more than the results show

Often used with it