Active KC: a Text Message Based Intervention for Physical Activity

Active KC will involve delivering PA support tools to individuals interested in increasing their physical activity. The tools involve provision of a Garmin wearable activity monitor and participant-tailored behavior change supports (e.g., goal setting and monitoring) delivered through text messaging and a corresponding study website.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Physical Activity; Patient Engagement
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Text Based Behavioral Intervention for Physical Activity

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 210
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Missouri
    • Kansas City, Missouri, United States, 64108
      • Children's Mercy

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 8 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individual has a smart device with internet or data and app downloading and texting capability
• Can read or write in English
• At least 8 years old (there is no upper age limit)
• Willing to complete study measures, participate in intervention, and share data collected in Active KC with the main study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Does not meet the above inclusion criteria
• Non-adherent to study measurement (wearing the Garmin less than 4 days) during baseline period
• Averaging over 60 minutes per day of physical activity (children) or 30 minutes of physical activity per day (adults) during the baseline period as measured by the Garmin
• Participant has a disability that interferes with their ability to carry out daily activities

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Intervention / Treatment

Experimental: Physical Activity Self-Regulation; Participants will receive multiple weekly text messages. Texts will contain wear reminders, encouragements, congratulatory content, and behavior change messages based on the Garmin data. Some text message content asks for a response from the participant to help tailor later messages for behavior change support.

Behavioral: Text Based Behavioral Intervention for Physical Activity; Text intervention messaging will be sent through an automated text messaging service programmed by the CM Informatics team, which has been approved by the institution. Participants will be asked to wear Garmin physical activity monitor to provide physical activity information throughout the intervention. The Garmin is worn like a wristwatch. The device is small and non-intrusive. The Garmin device is a consumer wearable that will automatically detect and track activity such as walking, running, and cycling. The text messages incorporate information from the Garmin monitor to support physical activity.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in Physical Activity Minutes Over Time	Participant physical activity will be measured by daily minutes of physical activity as collected by the Garmin monitor.	8 weeks
Changes in Physical Activity Steps Over Time	Participant physical activity will be measured by a daily step count as collected by the Garmin monitor.	8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Participant Engagement of Text Messages	Text message engagement as measured by number of texts responded to.	8 weeks
Views of Participants on Intervention Preferences via Participant Survey	Adults will complete a baseline and follow up adult survey and children will complete a baseline and follow up child survey with help from their caregiver when appropriate. Participant surveys may be distributed via hardcopy, email, or text message.	Baseline, End of Study (8 weeks)
Participant Engagement of the Garmin Monitor	Garmin activity monitor engagement as measured by number of wear days.	8 weeks
Views of Participants on intervention via Focus Groups	Up to 15 focus groups will be hosted throughout and after the intervention period. A subsample of participants will be selected to take part in focus groups conducted after week 4 and week 8. These focus groups will ask about participant experiences with the Garmin monitors and text messaging along with general perceptions of the intervention. Focus groups will be hosted virtually using Teams or in person and will be recorded. All participants will have the option to keep their cameras off during virtual focus groups.	Week 4, Week 8

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 25, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 9, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 26, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): November 8, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2025
• Last Verified: February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical activity; Garmin; text message; technology
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00001939

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No