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Cited by 66Physical Activity and HealthMobile Health and mHealth ApplicationsContext-Aware Activity Recognition Systems

Activity Monitor Intervention to Promote Physical Activity of Physicians-In-Training: Randomized Controlled Trial

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Thorndike, Anne N., Mills, Sarah, Sonnenberg, Lillian, Palakshappa, Deepak, Gao, Tian, Pau, Cindy T., Regan, Susan·2014·PLoS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0100251PMC PMC4065028
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Physicians are expected to serve as role models for healthy lifestyles, but long work hours reduce time for healthy behaviors. A hospital-based physical activity intervention could improve physician health and increase counseling about exercise. METHODS: We conducted a two-phase intervention among 104 medical residents at a large hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. Phase 1 was a 6-week randomized controlled trial comparing daily steps of residents assigned to an activity monitor displaying feedback about steps and energy consumed (intervention) or to a blinded monitor (control). Phase 2 immediately followed and was a 6-week non-randomized team steps competition in which all participants wore monitors with feedback. Phase 1 outcomes were: 1) median steps/day and 2) proportion of days activity monitor worn. The Phase 2 outcome was mean steps/day on days monitor worn (≥500 steps/day). Physiologic measurements were collected at baseline and study end. Median steps/day were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Mean steps were compared using repeated measures regression analyses. RESULTS: In Phase 1, intervention and control groups had similar activity (6369 vs. 6063 steps/day, p = 0.16) and compliance with wearing the monitor (77% vs. 77% of days, p = 0.73). In Phase 2 (team competition), residents recorded more steps/day than during Phase 1 (CONTROL: 7,971 vs. 7,567, p = 0.002; INTERVENTION: 7,832 vs. 7,739, p = 0.13). Mean compliance with wearing the activity monitor decreased for both groups during Phase 2 compared to Phase 1 (60% vs. 77%, p<0.001). Mean systolic blood pressure decreased (p = 0.004) and HDL cholesterol increased (p<0.001) among all participants at end of study compared to baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Although the activity monitor intervention did not have a major impact on activity or health, the high participation rates of busy residents and modest changes in steps, blood pressure, and HDL suggest that more intensive hospital-based wellness programs have potential for promoting healthier lifestyles among physicians. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01287208.

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Authors
Thorndike, A. N., Mills, S., Sonnenberg, L., Palakshappa, D., Gao, T., Pau, C. T., & Regan, S.
Affiliations
Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Thorndike, Anne N.
ORCID
Venue
PLoS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2014-06-20
Volume
9
Issue
6
Pages
e100251
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0100251
PMC
PMC4065028
OpenAlex
W2071587348
Cited by
66
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
FWCI
2.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • Massachusetts General Hospital
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (K23HL93221, K23HL093221)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Context-Aware Activity Recognition Systems
Keywords
physical activity, wearable activity trackers, medical residents, physician well-being, team competition, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, wearable devices, physician health
MeSH terms
Adult, Blood Pressure, Body Composition, Cholesterol, Competitive Behavior, Counseling, Female, Health Promotion, Humans, Internship and Residency, Male, Monitoring, Physiologic, Motor Activity, Physicians, Young Adult, Feedback, Sensory

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