Long-Term Exercise Maintenance via Internet Support

描述（由申请人提供）：走路和跑步是可以保持多年的行为。我们的全国队列45,704名步行者报告说，他们平均（+_SD）为9.1+_10.1年，每周步行12英里。我们研究的12万名跑步者每周跑12英里，平均时间为12.4+ 7.6年。然而，相当一部分跑步者（大概还有步行者）每年都会减少运动量（在7.6年的随访中，41%的人减少了50%的里程）。少运动的风险似乎随着跑步的年数、参加比赛的次数和更好的比赛表现而降低。我们假设，促进步行和跑步活动的参与，提供社会支持，产生智力兴趣和成就感的干预将有助于维持这些行为。此外，我们假设互联网可以以名义成本为大量人口提供这种干预。我们建议在一项为期3年的随机试验中对8000名步行者和8000名跑步者进行测试。可以上网的受试者将从我们现有的16万多名步行者和跑步者中招募。治疗组将由4000名跑步者和4000名步行者组成，他们将被转介到我们的互动网站。这个网站将建立在我们目前基于互联网的调查工具的基础上，该工具提供了功能齐全的体育活动和饮食记录（www.healthsurvey.org）。我们将增加以下功能：1)跟踪从弗吉尼亚州约克镇到俄勒冈州佛罗伦萨的虚拟跨洲步行或跑步的每日里程，并查看跨洲进度（http://trailmaps .lbl.gov）；2)选择目标相似的匿名跑步和步行伙伴，一起沿着虚拟路线旅行；3)与合作伙伴沟通，相互支持；4)在奖励页面上为完成的每个状态提供认可；5)下载地区10公里和马拉松比赛的视频片段，以吸引参与者（这些视频片段将使参与者可视化地参与和完成比赛）；6)提供有关地区比赛、步行和跑步俱乐部以及指导服务的信息。对照组将由4000名跑步者和4000名步行者组成，他们将被介绍给美国道路跑步者（跑步者）或大众体育网站（步行者）。治疗组和对照组都将通过邮件收到关于身体活动的基线和后续调查。将给100名跑步者和100名步行者配备带有心率监测器的计步器，以核实他们的活动情况。行为模型将通过比较走路和跑步活动来发展：1)网站活动；2)使用电子邮件定期和在运动水平急剧变化时征求额外的数据。我们估计，在跑步者和步行者中，我们将能够分别检测到干预组和对照组之间0.45%的运动停止率差异（α =0.05，统计能力为80%）。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Walking and running are behaviors that can be maintained for many years. Our national cohort of 45,704 walkers reported walking >12 mi/wk for an average (+_SD) of 9.1+_10.1 years. Our cohort of 120,000 runners ran >12 mi/wk for an average of 12.4+_7.6 years. Yet a significant portion of runners (and presumably walkers) reduces their exercise each year (41% reduced their mileage >50% during 7.6 yrs of follow-up). The risk for exercising less appears to decrease with the number of years run, race participation, and better race performance. We hypothesize that an intervention that promotes participation in walking and running events, provides social support, and engenders intellectual interest and a sense of accomplishment will serve to maintain these behaviors. Moreover, we hypothesize that the Internet can provide this intervention to large populations at nominal cost. We propose to test this hypothesis in a 3-year randomized trial of 8,000 walkers and 8,000 runners. Subjects having Internet access will be recruited from our existing cohorts of over 160,000 walkers and runners. The treatment group will consist of 4,000 runners and 4,000 walkers who will be referred to our interactive Web site. This site will build upon our current Internet-based survey tool that provides full-function physical activity and diet logs (www.healthsurvey.org). We will add the capacity to: 1) track daily mileage on a virtual cross-continental walk or run from Yorktown Virginia to Florence, Oregon and to view cross-continental progress (http//trailmaps.lbl.gov); 2) choose anonymous running and walking partners with similar goals to travel with along the virtual course; 3) communicate with partners to provide mutual support; 4) provide recognition for completing each state on an awards page; 5) download video clips of regional 10km and marathon races to entice participation (these will enable participants to visualize participation and completion of the races); 6) provide information on regional races, walking and running clubs, and mentoring services. The control group will consist of 4,000 runners and 4,000 walkers who will be referred to Road Runners of America (runners) or Volkssport Websites (walkers). Both the treatment and control groups will receive by mail baseline and follow-up surveys on physical activities. A subset of 100 runners and 100 walkers will be given pedometers with heart rate monitors to verify activity. Behavioral models will be developed by comparing walking and running activity to: 1) Web site activity; 2) additional data solicited periodically and at times of acute change in exercise level using E-mail. We estimate that we will be able to detect differences in exercise cessation rates between the intervention and control group of 0.45% in runners and walkers separately (alpha=0.05, 80% statistical power).