Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK
Objectives To test the effects of adding text messages to weekly email communications on recipients’ total physical activity (leisure-time; workplace; domestic and garden; and active transportation) in employees of universities and colleges in the UK. Methods A randomised trial with two...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Sage
2013
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39289/ |
| _version_ | 1848795803239317504 |
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| author | Suggs, S. Blake, Holly Bardus, Marco Lloyd, Scott |
| author_facet | Suggs, S. Blake, Holly Bardus, Marco Lloyd, Scott |
| author_sort | Suggs, S. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Objectives
To test the effects of adding text messages to weekly email communications on recipients’ total physical activity (leisure-time; workplace; domestic and garden; and active transportation) in employees of universities and colleges in the UK.
Methods
A randomised trial with two study groups (email only or email plus text messaging for 12 weeks) was implemented at five workplaces. Data were collected at baseline, immediately after, and four weeks after the intervention. Intervention effects on physical activity were evaluated using latent growth modelling.
Results
Total physical activity decreased over time in both groups but the decrease was non-significant. The only significant difference between groups was found for workplace physical activity, with the group receiving emails and text messages having a linear decrease of 2.81 Metabolic Equivalent h/week (β = −0.31, p = 0.035) compared to the email only group.
Conclusions
Sending employees two additional text messages resulted in less physical activity. Further investigation is needed to understand whether text messaging may play a beneficial role in promoting physical activity in workplace settings. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:37:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-39289 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:37:53Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | Sage |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-392892020-05-04T16:36:13Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39289/ Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK Suggs, S. Blake, Holly Bardus, Marco Lloyd, Scott Objectives To test the effects of adding text messages to weekly email communications on recipients’ total physical activity (leisure-time; workplace; domestic and garden; and active transportation) in employees of universities and colleges in the UK. Methods A randomised trial with two study groups (email only or email plus text messaging for 12 weeks) was implemented at five workplaces. Data were collected at baseline, immediately after, and four weeks after the intervention. Intervention effects on physical activity were evaluated using latent growth modelling. Results Total physical activity decreased over time in both groups but the decrease was non-significant. The only significant difference between groups was found for workplace physical activity, with the group receiving emails and text messages having a linear decrease of 2.81 Metabolic Equivalent h/week (β = −0.31, p = 0.035) compared to the email only group. Conclusions Sending employees two additional text messages resulted in less physical activity. Further investigation is needed to understand whether text messaging may play a beneficial role in promoting physical activity in workplace settings. Sage 2013-04-31 Article PeerReviewed Suggs, S., Blake, Holly, Bardus, Marco and Lloyd, Scott (2013) Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 18 (1 Supp). pp. 56-64. ISSN 1758-1060 ehealth Physical activity Work health promotion http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1355819613478001 doi:10.1177/1355819613478001 doi:10.1177/1355819613478001 |
| spellingShingle | ehealth Physical activity Work health promotion Suggs, S. Blake, Holly Bardus, Marco Lloyd, Scott Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title | Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title_full | Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title_fullStr | Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title_short | Effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the UK |
| title_sort | effects of text messaging in addition to emails on physical activity among university and college employees in the uk |
| topic | ehealth Physical activity Work health promotion |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39289/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39289/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/39289/ |