ArticleThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2020
Commercial app use linked with sustained physical activity in two Canadian provinces: a 12-month quasi-experimental study.
Article in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
20 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 57 citations in OpenAlex.
- Digital Interventions on Healthy Lifestyle Management: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Mobile-Based Ecological Momentary Intervention for Improving Physical Activity in Adults Without Regular Physical Activity: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.JMIR formative research · 2025Trial
- Does a walking intervention work equally in low and high walkable areas? A large-scale incentive program in Japan.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2026Article
- Evaluating an Incentive-Based mHealth App for Physical Activity Promotion Using the Obesity-Related Behavioral Intervention Trial Model: Small Cohort Study.JMIR formative research · 2026Article
- Effects of team- and individual-based financial incentives on physical activity: a prospective, nonrandomized intervention using the WeChat platform.BMC public health · 2025Article
- Leveraging context-specific behavioral economic principles to enable patients to change their physical activity patterns.Journal of health psychology · 2025Article
- Functions of Smartphone Apps and Wearable Devices Promoting Physical Activity: Six-Month Longitudinal Study on Japanese-Speaking Adults.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2024Article
- Tracked Physical Activity Levels Before and After a Change in Incentive Strategy Among UK Adults Using a Rewards App: Retrospective Quasi-Experimental Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Reduction of Financial Health Incentives and Changes in Physical Activity.JAMA network open · 2023Article
- Development of a ParticipACTION App-Based Intervention for Improving Postsecondary Students' 24-Hour Movement Guideline Behaviors: Protocol for the Application of Intervention Mapping.JMIR research protocols · 2023Article
- Changes in Blood Lipid Levels After a Digitally Enabled Cardiometabolic Preventive Health Program: Pre-Post Study in an Adult Dutch General Population Cohort.JMIR cardio · 2022Article
- Active Use and Engagement in an mHealth Initiative Among Young Men With Obesity: Mixed Methods Study.JMIR formative research · 2022Article
- Long-term usage of a commercial mHealth app: A "multiple-lives" perspective.Frontiers in public health · 2022Observational
- Staying 'Covid-safe': Proposals for embedding behaviours that protect against Covid-19 transmission in the UK.British journal of health psychology · 2021Review
- Is it worth it? Cost-effectiveness analysis of a commercial physical activity app.BMC public health · 2021Article
- Effects of an mHealth App (Kencom) With Integrated Functions for Healthy Lifestyles on Physical Activity Levels and Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers: Observational Study of 12,602 Users.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Observational
- The use of the behaviour change wheel in the development of ParticipACTION's physical activity app.Preventive medicine reports · 2020Article
- Adding team-based financial incentives to the Carrot Rewards physical activity app increases daily step count on a population scale: a 24-week matched case control study.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2020Article
- Usage Styles of Physical Activity Apps are Associated with Long-Term Activity Levels: A 6-Month Prospective Analysis.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundTop tier commercial physical activity apps rarely undergo peer-reviewed evaluation. Even fewer are assessed beyond six months, the theoretical threshold for behaviour maintenance. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a multi-component commercial app rewarding users with digital incentives for walking was associated with an increase in physical activity over one year.
methodsThis 12-month quasi-experimental study was conducted in two Canadian provinces (n = 39,113 participants). Following a two-week baseline period, participants earned digital incentives ($0.04 CAD/day) every day they reached a personalized daily step goal. Mixed-effects models estimated changes in weekly mean daily step count between the baseline period and the last two recorded weeks. Models were fit for several engagement groups and separately by baseline physical activity status within engagement groups.
resultsNearly half of participants (43%) were categorized as physically inactive at baseline (fewer than 5000 daily steps), and 60% engaged with the app for at least six months ['Regular' (24-51 weeks of step data) or 'Committed' sub-groups (52 weeks)]. Weekly mean daily step count increased for physically inactive users regardless of engagement status (P < .0001). The increase was largest for 'Regular' and 'Committed' participants-1215 and 1821 steps/day, respectively. For physically active participants, step count increases were only observed in the 'Committed' sub-group (P < .0001). Effect sizes were modest-to-medium depending on the sub-group analyzed.
conclusionsA commercial app providing small but immediate digital incentives for individualized goals was associated with an increased weekly mean daily step count on a population-scale over one year. This effect was more evident for physically inactive and more engaged participants.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.