Trial reportThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2023
trips4health: a single-blinded randomised controlled trial incentivising adult public transport use for physical activity gain.
Trial report in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Scoping review to assess the reach, effectiveness, and impact of government-funded, population-based physical activity initiatives in Australian adults.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Pooled it
- CONSORT 2025 explanation and elaboration: updated guideline for reporting randomised trials.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 2025Article
- [In defense of walking and cycling as a means of transportation in Brazil].Cadernos de saude publica · 2025Article
- Get BusActive!: Protocol of a single-blinded randomised controlled trial incentivising public transport use for physical activity gain among young people and adults.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2024Article
- Is public transport a promising strategy for increasing physical activity? Evidence from a study of objectively measured public transport use and physical activity.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPublic transport users tend to accumulate more physical activity than non-users; however, whether physical activity is increased by financially incentivising public transport use is unknown. The trips4health study aimed to determine the impact of an incentive-based public transport intervention on physical activity.
methodsA single-blinded randomised control trial of a 16-week incentive-based intervention involved Australian adults who were infrequent bus users (≥ 18 years; used bus ≤ 2 times/week) split equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group were sent weekly motivational text messages and awarded smartcard bus credit when targets were met. The intervention group and control group received physical activity guidelines. Accelerometer-measured steps/day (primary outcome), self-reported transport-related physical activity (walking and cycling for transport) and total physical activity (min/week and MET-min/week) outcomes were assessed at baseline and follow-up.
resultsDue to the COVID pandemic, the trial was abandoned prior to target sample size achievement and completion of all assessments (N = 110). Steps/day declined in both groups, but by less in the intervention group [-557.9 steps (-7.9%) vs.-1018.3 steps/week (-13.8%)]. In the intervention group, transport-related physical activity increased [80.0 min/week (133.3%); 264.0 MET-min/week (133.3%)] while total physical activity levels saw little change [35.0 min/week (5.5%); 25.5 MET-min/week (1.0%)]. Control group transport-related physical activity decreased [-20.0 min/week (-27.6%); -41.3 MET-min/week (-17.3%)], but total physical activity increased [260.0 min/week (54.5%); 734.3 MET-min/week (37.4%)].
conclusionThis study found evidence that financial incentive-based intervention to increase public transport use is effective in increasing transport-related physical activity These results warrant future examination of physical activity incentives programs in a fully powered study with longer-term follow-up.
trial registrationThis trial was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry August 14th, 2019: ACTRN12619001136190; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=377914&isReview=true.
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