• Sarah M Edney, Tim S Olds, Jillian C Ryan, Corneel Vandelanotte, Ronald C Plotnikoff, Rachel G Curtis, and Carol A Maher.
• Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity, School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: sarah.edney@mymail.unisa.edu.au.
• Am J Prev Med. 2020 Feb 1; 58 (2): e51-e62.

IntroductionAppealing approaches to increasing physical activity levels are needed. This study evaluated whether a social and gamified smartphone app (Active Team) could be one such approach.Study DesignA 3-group cluster RCT compared the efficacy of Active Team with a basic self-monitoring app and waitlist control group.Setting/ParticipantsAustralian adults (N=444, mean age of 41 years, 74% female) were recruited in teams (n=121) and randomly assigned (1:1:1) to the Active Team (n=141, 39 teams), self-monitoring app (n=160, 42 teams), or waitlist group (n=143, 40 teams). Data were collected in 2016-2017, and analysis was conducted in 2018-2019.InterventionActive Team is a 100-day app-based, gamified, online social networking physical activity intervention.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome was change in objective physical activity from baseline to 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes included objective physical activity at 9 months and self-reported physical activity, quality of life, depression, anxiety and stress, well-being, and engagement.ResultsMixed models indicated no significant differences in objective physical activity between groups at 3 (F=0.17, p=0.84; Cohen's d=0.03, 95% CI= -0.21, 0.26) or 9 months (F=0.23, p=0.92; d=0.06, 95% CI= -0.17, 0.29) and no significant differences for secondary outcomes of quality of life, depression, anxiety and stress, or well-being. Self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was significantly higher in the Active Team group at the 9-month follow-up (F=3.05, p=0.02; d=0.50, 95% CI=0.26, 0.73). Engagement was high; the Active Team group logged steps on an average of 72 (SD=35) days and used the social and gamified features an average of 89 (SD=118) times.ConclusionsA gamified, online social networking physical activity intervention did not change objective moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, though it did increase self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and achieve high levels of engagement. Future work is needed to understand if gamification, online social networks, and app-based approaches can be leveraged to achieve positive behavior change.Trial RegistrationThis study is registered at Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (protocol: ANZCTR12617000113358).Copyright © 2019 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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