JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Low physical activity levels can negatively affect nurses’ health. Given the low physical activity levels nurses report, the need for brief and economical interventions designed to increase physical activity in this population is clear. We developed a web-based intervention which utilized motivational strategies to increase nurses’ physical activity levels. The intervention provided nurses with feedback from an activity monitor coupled with a web-based individual, friend or team physical activity challenge.

Objective:

In this parallel-group randomized trial, we examined whether nurses’ motivation at baseline predicted changes in objectively-measured physical activity during the 6-week intervention.

Methods:

Participants were 76 nurses (97% female; mean age=46 years, SD=11) randomly assigned to one of three physical activity challenge conditions: 1) individual, 2) friend, or 3) team. Nurses completed a questionnaire online assessing motivational regulations for physical activity prior to the intervention and wore a Tractivity® activity monitor prior to and during the 6-week intervention. We analyzed data using multilevel modeling for repeated measures.

Results:

Nurses’ physical activity levels increased (linear estimate=10.30, SE=3.15), but the rate of change decreased over time (quadratic estimate=-2.06, SE=0.52). External and identified regulations, but not intrinsic and introjected regulations, predicted changes in nurses’ physical activity levels.

Conclusions:

Our findings provide evidence that an intervention incorporating self-monitoring and physical activity challenges can be effective in increasing nurses’ physical activity levels. Also, largely consistent with motivational theories and prior research, they suggest interventions incorporating strategies promoting motivation for physical activity should be developed and tested. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: This trial was not registered with clinicaltrials.gov like other trials conducted during the same enrollment period as registration was not required by the study sponsor. Clinical Trial: This trial was not registered with clinicaltrials.gov like other trials conducted during the same enrollment period as registration was not required by the study sponsor.