Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Annals of Behavioral Medicine
Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine 4/2017

01-08-2017 | Original Article

Increasing Physical Activity Through Principles of Habit Formation in New Gym Members: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Published in: Annals of Behavioral Medicine | Issue 4/2017

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

The promotion of physical activity (PA) is paramount to public health, yet interventions in the social cognitive tradition have yielded negligible improvements. The limited progression may be due to an overreliance on intention as the proximal determinant of behavior and a lack of consideration of implicit/automatic processes. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a habit formation intervention on PA over 8 weeks in a two-arm parallel design, randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Participants (n = 94) were new gym members with the intention to engage in PA but below international PA guidelines at baseline, who were randomized into a control or habit experimental group. The experimental group attended a workshop (at baseline) and received a follow-up booster phone call at week 4. The primary outcome of the study was minutes of moderate-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) at week 8. The secondary outcome was a manipulation check to determine if the experimental group effectively incorporated habit-building constructs (cues and practice consistency).

Results

The experimental group showed a significant increase in MVPA after 8 weeks in both accelerometry (d = 0.39, p = .04) and self-report (d = 0.53, p = .01) compared with the control group. The experimental group also showed an increase in use of cues (d = 0.56, p < .001) and practice consistency (d = 0.40, p = .01) at week 8.

Conclusion

The results contribute to the initial validity of increasing PA through a focus on preparation cues and practice consistency. Future research should replicate these findings and extend the duration of assessment to evaluate whether PA changes are sustained.
Registered Trial Number NCT02785107
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
Warburton, D.E.R., et al., Evidence-informed physical activity guidelines for Canadian adults. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 2007. 32(SUPPL. 2E): p. S16-S68.CrossRef
2.
Garber, C.E., et al., Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2011. 43(7): p. 1334–1359.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Team LS. Statistics on Obesity, Physical Activity and Diet—England, 2015. 2015: Health and Social Care Information Centre.
4.
Colley RC, et al. Physical activity of Canadian adults: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian health measures survey. Health Reports, 2011; 22(1).
5.
Troiano, R.P., et al., Physical activity in the United States measured by accelerometer. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 2008. 40(1): p. 181.CrossRefPubMed
6.
Spence, J.C. and R.E. Lee, Toward a comprehensive model of physical activity. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 2003. 4(1): p. 7–24.CrossRef
7.
8.
Rhodes, R.E. and C.R. Nigg, Advancing physical activity theory: a review and future directions. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 2011. 39(3): p. 113–119.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Baranowski, T., C. Anderson, and C. Carmack, Mediating variable framework in physical activity interventions. How are we doing? How might we do better? American journal of preventive medicine, 1998. 15(4): p. 266.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Rosenstock, I., The health belief model and preventive health behavior. Health Education Monographs, 2, 354–386. 1974.CrossRef
11.
Ajzen, I., The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 1991. 50(2): p. 179–211.CrossRef
12.
Rogers, W., Cognitive and physiological processes in fear appeals and attitude change: a revised theory of protection motivation. In J. T. Cacioppo & R. E. Petty (Eds.), Social psychophysiology (pp. 153–176). New York: Guilford Press. 1974.
13.
Rhodes, R.E. and G. Nasuti, Trends and changes in research on the psychology of physical activity across 20years: a quantitative analysis of 10 journals. Preventive Medicine, 2011. 53(1–2): p. 17–23.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Hagger, M.S., N.L.D. Chatzisarantis, and S.J.H. Biddle, A meta-analytic review of the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior in physical activity: predictive validity and the contribution of additional variables. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2002. 24(1): p. 3.CrossRef
15.
Rhodes, R.E. and G.J. De Bruijn, What predicts intention-behavior discordance? A review of the action control framework. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 2013. 41(4): p. 201–207.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Rhodes, R.E. and G.J. De Bruijn, How big is the physical activity intention-behaviour gap? A meta-analysis using the action control framework. British Journal of Health Psychology, 2013. 18(2): p. 296–309.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Rhodes, R.E. and L. Dickau, Experimental evidence for the intention-behavior relationship in the physical activity domain: a meta-analysis. Health Psychology, 2012. 31(6): p. 724–727.CrossRefPubMed
18.
McEachan, R.R.C., et al., Prospective prediction of health-related behaviours with the theory of planned behaviour: a meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 2011. 5(2): p. 97–144.CrossRef
19.
Sheeran, P., Intention-behaviour relations: a conceptual and empirical review. European review of social psychology, ed. M.H.W. Stroebe. 2002: Chichester: John Wiley.
20.
Rhodes RE, Yao CA. Models accounting for intention-behavior discordance in the physical activity domain: a user’s guide, content overview, and review of current evidence. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 2015. 12(1).
21.
Rhodes, R.E., et al., Predicting changes across 12 months in three types of parental support behaviors and mothers’ perceptions of child physical activity. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2016. 49(6): p. 853–864.CrossRef
22.
Schwarzer, R., Modeling health behavior change: how to predict and modify the adoption and maintenance of health behaviors. Applied Psychology, 2008. 57(1): 1–29.CrossRef
23.
Heckhausen, H. and P.M. Gollwitzer, Thought contents and cognitive functioning in motivational versus volitional states of mind. Motivation and Emotion, 1987. 11(2): p. 101–120.CrossRef
24.
Fishbein, M., I. von Haeften, and J. Appleyard, The role of theory in developing effective interventions: implications from Project SAFER. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 2001. 6(2): p. 223–238.CrossRef
25.
Rhodes, R.E., et al., Understanding action control of parental support behavior for child physical activity. Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2016. 35(2): p. 131–140.CrossRef
26.
Rhodes, R.E. and C. Lim, Understanding action control of dog walking. Ann. Behav. Med., 2016. 50 (Suppl 1):S1-S335.
27.
Sheeran, P., P.M. Gollwitzer, and J.A. Bargh, Nonconscious processes and health. Health Psychology, 2013. 32(5): p. 460–473.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Evans JSBT. Dual-processing accounts of reasoning, judgment, and social cognition. 2008; 255–278.
29.
Ouellette, J.A. and W. Wood, Habit and intention in everyday life: the multiple processes by which past behavior predicts future behavior. Psychological Bulletin, 1998. 124(1): p. 54–74.CrossRef
30.
Wood W, Rünger D. Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology. 2015. 67(1).
31.
Wood, W., J.M. Quinn, and D.A. Kashy, Habits in everyday life: thought, emotion, and action. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2002. 83(6): p. 1281–1297.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Grove, Zillich. Conceptualisation and measurement of habitual exercise. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Australian Psychological Society. 2003, Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Australian Psychological Society (pp. 88–92). Melbourne: Australian Psychological Society.
33.
Lally, P. and B. Gardner, Promoting habit formation. Health Psychology Review, 2013. 7(SUPPL1): p. S137-S158.CrossRef
34.
Kaushal, N. and R.E. Rhodes, Exercise habit formation in new gym members: a longitudinal study. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2015. 38(4): p. 652–663.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Kaushal N, et al. The role of habit in different phases of exercise. British Journal of Health Psychology. 2016(In Press).
36.
Rebar AL, et al. A systematic review of the effects of non-conscious regulatory processes in physical activity. Health Psychology Review. 2016: 1–86.
37.
Warburton, D.E.R., et al., Validation of the PAR-Q+ and ePARmed-X+. Health & Fitness Journal of Canada., 2011. 4: p. 38–46.
38.
Tremblay, M.S., et al., New Canadian physical activity guidelines. Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism, 2011. 36(1): p. 36–46.CrossRef
39.
Sniehotta, F.F., et al., Action planning and coping planning for long-term lifestyle change: theory and assessment. European Journal of Social Psychology, 2005. 35(4): p. 565–576.CrossRef
40.
Gollwitzer, P.M., Implementation intentions: strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 1999. 54(7): p. 493–503.CrossRef
41.
Brawley, L.R., W.J. Rejeski, and L. Lutes, A group-mediated cognitive-behavioral intervention for increasing adherence to physical activity in older adults. Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research, 2000. 5(1): p. 47–65.CrossRef
42.
Brawley, L.R., et al., Social cognitive changes following weight loss and physical activity interventions in obese, older adults in poor cardiovascular health. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2012. 44(3): p. 353–364.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
43.
Cramp, A.G. and L.R. Brawley, Sustaining self-regulatory efficacy and psychological outcome expectations for postnatal exercise: effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioural intervention. British Journal of Health Psychology, 2009. 14(3): p. 595–611.CrossRefPubMed
44.
Mailey, E.L. and E. McAuley, Impact of a brief intervention on physical activity and social cognitive determinants among working mothers: a randomized trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2014. 37(2): p. 343–355.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Gortmaker, S.L., et al., Reducing obesity via a school-based interdisciplinary intervention among youth: planet health. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 1999. 153(4): p. 409–418.CrossRefPubMed
46.
Estabrooks, P.A., et al., Automated telephone counseling for parents of overweight children. A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2009. 36(1): p. 35–42.e2.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Sallis, J.F., et al., Neighborhood built environment and income: examining multiple health outcomes. Social Science and Medicine, 2009. 68(7): p. 1285–1293.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
48.
Freedson, P.S., E. Melanson, and J. Sirard, Calibration of the computer science and applications, Inc. accelerometer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 1998. 30(5): p. 777–781.CrossRefPubMed
49.
Trost, S.G., et al., Comparison of accelerometer cut points for predicting activity intensity in youth. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2011. 43(7): p. 1360–1368.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Godin G, Jobin J, Bouillon J. Assessment of leisure time exercise behavior by self-report: a concurrent validity study. Evaluation De L'Exercise Physique Pendant Les Loisirs, D'Apres Les Indications Fournies Par Les Interesses: une Eude De Concordance. 1986. 77(5): 359–362.
51.
Godin, G., R.J. Shephard, and A. Colantonio, The cognitive profile of those who intend to exercise but do not. Public Health Reports, 1986. 101(5): p. 521–526.PubMedPubMedCentral
52.
Gardner B, Tang V. Reflecting on non-reflective action: an exploratory think-aloud study of self-report habit measures. British Journal of Health Psychology. 2013.
53.
Ferguson, C.J., An effect size primer: a guide for clinicians and researchers. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 2009. 40(5): p. 532–538.CrossRef
54.
Schulz, K.F. and D.A. Grimes, Sample size calculations in randomised trials: mandatory and mystical. The Lancet, 2005. 365(9467): p. 1348–1353.CrossRef
55.
Faul, F., et al., Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behavior Research Methods, 41, 1149–1160. 2009.CrossRefPubMed
56.
Field, A.P. Discovering statistics using SPSS (third edition). London: Sage publications; 2009.
57.
Norman G, Streiner D Biostatistics: The Bare Essentials 2008: McGraw-Hill Europe; 3rd edition.
58.
Cohen J. and Cohen, P. Applied multiple regression/correlation analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum; 1983.
59.
Schafer, J.L. and J.W. Graham, Missing data: our view of the state of the art. Psychological Methods, 2002. 7(2): p. 147–177.CrossRefPubMed
60.
Rubin, D.B., Multiple imputation after 18+ years. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 1996. 91(434): p. 473–489.CrossRef
61.
Catellier, D.J., et al., Imputation of missing data when measuring physical activity by accelerometry. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2005. 37(11 Suppl): p. S555-S562.CrossRef
62.
Jackson, N. and E. Waters, Criteria for the systematic review of health promotion and public health interventions. Health promotion international, 2005. 20(4): p. 367–374.CrossRefPubMed
63.
Michie, S., et al., The behavior change technique taxonomy (v1) of 93 hierarchically clustered techniques: building an international consensus for the reporting of behavior change interventions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2013. 46(1): p. 81–95.CrossRefPubMed
64.
Gardner B. A review and analysis of the use of ‘habit’ in understanding, predicting and influencing health-related behaviour. Health Psychology Review. 2014.
65.
Pimm R, et al. Cue consistency associated with physical activity automaticity and behavior. Behavioral Medicine. 2015.
66.
Rebar, A.L., et al., Habits predict physical activity on days when intentions are weak. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 2014. 36(2): p. 157–165.CrossRefPubMed
67.
Group, T.D.P.P.R, The Diabetes Prevention Program: design and methods for a clinical trial in the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Diabetes Care, 1999. 22: p. 623–634.CrossRef
68.
Bélanger-Gravel, A., G. Godin, and S. Amireault, A meta-analytic review of the effect of implementation intentions on physical activity. Health Psychology Review, 2013. 7(1): p. 23–54.CrossRef
69.
Gollwitzer PM, Sheeran P. Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes, in Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. 2006. 69–119.
70.
71.
Schulz, K.F. and D.A. Grimes, Unequal group sizes in randomised trials: guarding against guessing. The Lancet, 2002. 359(9310): p. 966–970.CrossRef
72.
73.
Warburton, D.E.R., et al., A systematic review of the evidence for Canada’s physical activity guidelines for adults. The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2010. 7(1): p. 39–39.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
Metadata
Title
Increasing Physical Activity Through Principles of Habit Formation in New Gym Members: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Publication date
01-08-2017
Published in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 0883-6612
Electronic ISSN: 1532-4796
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-017-9881-5

Other articles of this Issue 4/2017

Annals of Behavioral Medicine 4/2017 Go to the issue

Original Article

Cumulative Risk Exposure and Waist Circumference in Preschool-Aged Children: the Mediating Role of Television and Moderating Role of Sex

Original Article

Prospective Associations Between Depressive Symptoms and the Metabolic Syndrome: the Spirited Life Study of Methodist Pastors in North Carolina

Original Article

Preparedness and Cancer-Related Symptom Management among Cancer Survivors in the First Year Post-Treatment

Original Article

Examining the Conditions Under Which Internalized Homophobia Is Associated with Substance Use and Condomless Sex in Young MSM: the Moderating Role of Impulsivity

Original Article

Monetary Incentive Interventions Can Enhance Psychological Factors Related to Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Original Article

Associations Between Pain Catastrophizing and Cognitive Fusion in Relation to Pain and Upper Extremity Function Among Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery Patients