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Physical Activity, Motivation, and Social Media Content

Physical Activity, Motivation, and Social Media Content

Klein Buendel Scientist, Dr. Kayla Nuss, and her collaborators presented two groundbreaking posters on physical activity and exposure to social media physical activity content at the 45th Annual Sessions and Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Philadelphia, PA, March 13-16, 2024. The research delved into three types of physical activity content: fitspiration, body positivity, and body neutrality.

Poster 1

Title: Associations Between Exposure to Fitspiration, Body Positive, and Body Neutral Social Media Content and Physical Activity Engagement: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Dr. Kayla Nuss

Presenter: Dr. Kayla Nuss

In 2021, nearly 70% of Americans reported using social media, a statistic that has remained fairly constant since 2016. The fitspiration trend, which has become increasingly popular on most social media platforms, encourages users to share fitness inspiration content, including health and fitness tips and motivational posts. However fitspiration exposure has no significant effect on physical activity (PA) intentions or engagement.1

The body positivity movement emerged as a direct response to fitspiration, featuring a range of diverse body sizes and types, including fat and plus-sized influencers engaging in activities. Evidence indicates that exposure to body positive content is associated with greater intentions for physical activity and increased engagement when compared to fitspiration content. A third social media movement, body neutrality, focuses on the functionality and appreciation of the body for not how it looks, but rather what it can do. To our knowledge, no study has explored the association between body neutrality exposure and PA engagement. As such, the purpose of this study is to assess the associations among exposure to fitspiration, body positive, and body neutral social media content and PA behavior.

Two-hundred and thirty-seven (237) participants responded to a survey that included the validated Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess weekly moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) and sedentary time. In addition, the authors assessed participants’ exposure to social media fitspiration, body positive, and body neutral content. During data cleaning, they categorized exposure to the three content types into “no exposure,” “low exposure,” “moderate exposure”, and “high exposure”. The authors also collected demographic and anthropomorphic data. Using a series of analyses of variance tests, they investigated associations among different levels of exposure to fitspiration, body positive, and body neutral content, and PA engagement. 

Biological sex had a significant main effect on weekly minutes of MVPA, and was included it in the models. Exposure to fitspiration had no significant effect, but exposure to both body positive content and body neutrality content did. Post-hoc comparisons revealed that in both contexts, participants who reported high exposure to either body positive or body neutral content had significantly more minutes of weekly MVPA than those who reported no exposure levels and low exposure levels, respectively.

The authors concluded that whereas fitspiration content is intended to inspire physical activity and fitness, there is no association between it and engagement. Interventionists may consider creating programs leveraging body positive or body neutral content to increase PA among social media users.

This research was sponsored by Klein Buendel and led by Dr. Kayla Nuss. Coauthors included Dr. Dani Arrigo from Rowan University and Ms. Julia Berteletti from Klein Buendel.

Poster 2

Title: Interaction Effects of Amotivation for Physical Activity and Fitness Social Media Exposure on Physical Activity Intentions

Presenter: Dr. Kayla Nuss

Nearly half of Americans seek fitness, physical activity (PA), and health advice from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Further, nearly 20% have changed a component of their wellness regimen based on that advice. There are three main categories of physical and activity content on social media, each with its own content themes:

  • Fitspiration features mostly white, thin, Women, unengaged in PA and has no discernable association with motivation or PA engagement.1
  • Body positive content features diverse bodies, including fat and plus-sized influencers engaged in PA, and has been associated with greater intentions for PA. Associations with motivation and engagement are unknown.
  • Body neutrality is centered on the functionality of the body, rather than appearance.

To date, no study has examined its associations with PA motivation, intention, or engagement. The purpose of this study is to examine cross-sectional associations of exposure to fitness social media content with Self-Determination Theory motivational subtypes, and PA intention and engagement.

A total of 237 participants responded to a survey that included the validated Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to assess weekly moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA). The authors examined intention for PA using the Behavioral Intentions Scale and assessed motivation for PA using the Behavioral Regulations in Exercise Scale. The authors also assessed participants’ exposure to social media fitspiration, body positive, and body neutral content. They categorized exposure to the three content types into “no exposure,” “low exposure,” “moderate exposure”, and “high exposure.” They also collected demographic and anthropomorphic data. Using a series of analyses of variance tests, the authors investigated associations among different levels of exposure to fitspiration, body positive, and body neutral content, and motivation, PA intention, and engagement.  

For the reporting of results, the authors first examined interaction effects between exposure to fitness content and each of the motivational subtypes on PA intention and behavior. They identified a significant interaction of amotivation (having no drive for the behavior) and exposure to both fitspiration and body positive content on PA intentions, but not engagement. Specifically, highly amotivated individuals who also reported high exposure to these social media types reported greater intentions for PA than those who reported moderate, low, or no exposure. There was no significant interaction effect between amotivation and body neutral exposure on PA intentions nor engagement.

The authors concluded that interventionists may consider exposing highly amotivated individuals to fitspiration or body positive social media to potentially increase intentions for PA. However, the intention-behavior gap must also be addressed in this population.

This research was sponsored by Klein Buendel and led by Dr. Kayla Nuss. Coauthors included Dr. Dani Arrigo from Rowan University and Ms. Julia Berteletti from Klein Buendel.

References

  1. Nuss K, Coulter R, Liu S. Content of social media fitspiration and its effect on physical activity-related behavior: A systematic review. Psychology of Popular Media. Published online 2023.
#4Corners4Health: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial

#4Corners4Health: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial

Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel and Dr. Andrew Sussman from the University of New Mexico are leading a large multiple state research team on the design, implementation, and evaluation of #4Corners4Health. The research study aims to decrease cancer risk factors among emerging adults (ages 18-26) living in rural counties in the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah using a targeted social media campaign. The team has published a full description of their study procedures in JMIR Research Protocols.

Many emerging adults are prone to making unhealthy choices, which increase their risk of premature cancer morbidity and mortality. In the era of social media, rigorous research on interventions to promote health behaviors for cancer risk reduction among emerging adults delivered over social media is limited. Cancer prevention information and recommendations may reach emerging adults more effectively over social media than in settings such as health care, schools, and workplaces, particularly for emerging adults residing in rural areas.

Specifically, the research team will recruit a sample of 1000 emerging adults aged 18 to 26 years residing in rural counties in the Four Corners states from the Qualtrics’ research panel and enroll them in a randomized stepped-wedge, quasi-experimental design. The inclusion criteria include English proficiency and regular social media engagement. A social media intervention will promote guideline-related goals for increased physical activity, healthy eating, and HPV vaccination and reduced nicotine product use, alcohol intake, and solar UV radiation exposure. Posts will cover digital and media literacy skills, responses to misinformation, communication with family and friends, and referral to community resources. The intervention will be delivered over 12 months in Facebook private groups and will be guided by advisory groups of community stakeholders and emerging adults and focus groups with emerging adults. The emerging adults will complete assessments at baseline and five additional data after randomization. Assessments will measure six cancer risk behaviors, theoretical mediators, and participants’ engagement with the social media campaign.

The trial is being led by a steering committee. Team members are working in three subcommittees to optimize community engagement, the social media intervention, and the measures to be used. The Stakeholder Organization Advisory Board and Emerging Adult Advisory Board were formed and provided initial input on the priority of cancer risk factors to target, social media use by emerging adults, and community resources available. A framework for the social media intervention with topics, format, and theoretical mediators has been created, along with protocols for social media management.

In summary, the researchers believe that social media can be used as a platform to counter misinformation and improve reliable health information to promote health behaviors that reduce cancer risks among emerging adults. Because of the popularity of web-based information sources among emerging adults, an innovative, multiple risk factor intervention using a social media campaign has the potential to reduce their cancer risk behaviors.

This research is supported by a 5-year R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA268037) to Klein Buendel. Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel and Dr. Andrew Sussman from the University of New Mexico are the project’s Multiple Principal Investigators. The JMIR publication has 24 collaborating authors from multiple institutions.

Results of the ¡Caminemos Juntas! Project

Results of the ¡Caminemos Juntas! Project

Klein Buendel researchers and collaborators from Stanford University have completed an SBIR Phase I and II project to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of the first smartphone app to use geo-location technology dedicated to walking with a social emphasis for exercise and quality of life for Latinas.

Health disparities are high among Latinas. They are more likely to be overweight, diagnosed with diabetes, and physically inactive compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Despite numerous interventions designed to increase physical activity, few are specifically tailored to Latinas. Thus, this project developed ¡Caminemos Juntas!, a smartphone app that uses location-based services to connect Latinas with one another in order to improve walking habits by increasing social support and decreasing perceived barriers.

Available data suggest that community-focused interventions produce improvements in physical activity and are well-received by Latinas, especially when social and physical environments, such as social support and safe walking areas, are considered. Research suggests that Latinas respond favorably to technological-based health interventions. Thus, health promotion interventions that can address Latinas’ preferences regarding their physical and social environments while utilizing a preferred technology source have the potential to be very effective.

Phase I Project

In the Phase I project, formative research was conducted to guide development of a prototype smartphone app for the target population. Specifically, the research and development team:

(1) gathered feedback from an Expert Advisory Board to help plan and assess the feasibility of creating the app;

(2) built connections and gathered input from Latina community leaders to assist in the conceptual development of the app through a Community Advisory Board;

(3) conducted an online survey of a national sample of Latinas on their smartphone usage for health promotion, and interest in social networking and location-based technology features;

(4) conducted iterative focus groups with Latinas to guide development of app content, design, and aesthetics to fully develop a functioning prototype;

(5) conducted field usability testing with Latinas to test the app’s accuracy to establish users’ location and connect users through the ¡Caminemos Juntas! system and users’ use and satisfaction with the app; and

(6) developed a specifications document to outline the Phase II development and programming plan.

The results of the Phase I study revealed that 22.5% of Latina participants never or rarely exercised, 73.5% accessed social networking sites daily with an average of 8 times a day, and 43.9% used location-based technology every day. Ease of use (82%), informationally accurate (79.2%), and reliability (84.7%) were app features rated as highly important. Over 63% reported high likelihood of using a social networking app to connect to others with the intentions of being physically active, and 67.4% reported that this type of app would be very helpful. Focus groups showed that the app was appealing, also.

Phase II Project

In the Phase II project, the ¡Caminemos Juntas! app was fully developed and evaluated in a randomized comparative-effectiveness trial with Latinas in San Jose, CA and Denver, CO. The location-based features of the app allowed Latinas to determine a safe place to meet for a walk, connect with other users nearby, and be notified if there was an available walk in the user’s vicinity. Specifically, the research and development team:

(1) developed a full-scale, fully programmed ¡Caminemos Juntas! app;

(2) determined whether the ¡Caminemos Juntas! app can be translated and adapted to a new community environment;

(3) tested the performance, usage, and usability of the full-scale, fully-programmed app; and

(4) evaluated whether ¡Caminemos Juntas! increases physical activity, social support for exercise, and quality of life in Latinas as compared to a control app.

The ¡Caminemos Juntas! app (intervention group; n=38) was compared to use of the World Walking App (control group; n=40). Women ages 18 to 67 who identified as Hispanic or Latina were eligible to participate. Recruitment, retention, and implementation were hindered significantly by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention was set to launch in the spring of 2020. Recruitment was delayed and when it was determined that the pandemic would be a long-term hinderance, changes were made to the app to allow participants to complete virtual walks instead of in-person. Eighty-eight percent (88%) of participants (n=69) completed measures at 4 weeks and ninety-seven percent (97%) of participants (n=76) completed measures at 8 weeks.

The primary outcome measure was change in physical activity at 4 and 8 weeks using the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors (CHAMPS) questionnaire. The CHAMPS is a 41-item questionnaire that measures self-reported minutes-per-week of physical activity calculated as total weekly caloric expenditure for all physical activity. It was developed for underactive populations and validated among older adults. The CHAMPS asks about activities undertaken for exercise, daily activities that are physical in nature, and physically active recreational activities during a typical week in the past 4 or 8 weeks. Each question has six answer options that range from “Less than 1 hour” to “9 or more hours.” At the 8-week follow-up, participants in ¡Caminemos Juntas!  reported 5.2 hours per week of moderate-intensity exercise related activities per week compared to 4.3 hours in the control group, though this result is not statistically significant.

Participants in the intervention group reported living in more walkable (35.3% of intervention participants rated their sidewalks very well maintained compared to 17.7% of control participants (p=0.04) and safer neighborhoods (63.6% of participants in the intervention rated the public recreation facilities in their neighborhood as very safe compared to 31.6% in the control (p=0.03). However, ¡Caminemos Juntas! users reported significantly lower street connectivity than the control group.

Overall, the ¡Caminemos Juntas! app was found to have the potential to impact Latinas’ health by providing them with real-time opportunities to connect socially with the goal of walking. Interventions that target improving health access and ameliorating chronic diseases among Latinas are of high public health importance.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (MD009652; Dr. Valerie Myers, former Klein Buendel Senior Scientist) at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Myers’ primary collaborator was Dr. Abby King from Stanford University.

Physical Activity During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Physical Activity During the Early Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dr. Kayla Nuss, KB Scientist, was part of a multi-institutional research team that published the results of a daily diary physical activity study in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health in July. The study, led by Ms. Kristen Moore from Colorado State University, reported on motivational profile as a predictor of physical activity among U.S. adults during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 468 adults participated in a 28-day smartphone-based daily diary study assessing physical activity. Nearly 80% of the participants were female and the average age of participants was 34.8 years. Daily diaries were used to examine associations between day-level physical activity behavior, physical activity-specific motivational profile, and days since the COVID-19 national emergency declaration during the early months of the pandemic, specifically April-June 2020.

According to the publication in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, a baseline survey assessed physical activity and motivation for physical activity using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire. Multilevel linear regression models examined the main effects and interactions of motivational profile and time on daily physical activity minutes. Latent profile analysis identified four distinct motivational profiles for physical activity among this sample:

Profiles

  1. High amotivation (21% of participants)
  2. Low controlled motivation (12% of participants)
  3. High external regulation (10% of participants)
  4. Moderate autonomous motivation (57% of participants)

After controlling for baseline physical activity, there were significant interactions between profile and time on daily physical activity. Profile 2 showed greater decreases in daily physical activity minutes over time than profile 1. Profiles 3 and 4 did not indicate significant decreases in physical activity compared with profile 1. Details on the methods and results of this research can be found in the publication.

The authors summarize that Individuals with lower controlled or moderate autonomous motivation demonstrated the largest decreases in physical activity over time, whereas individuals with higher amotivation or external regulation demonstrated smaller decreases over time. In conclusion, the authors suggest that external motivation may have provided short-term protection against declines in physical activity observed during early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This research was supported by the Assessment and Promotion of Physical Activity and Health Lab at Colorado State University and the Real-Time Eating Activity and Children’s Health Lab at University of Southern California. Authors in addition to Ms. Moore and Dr. Nuss include Dr. Shirlene Wang and Dr. Genevieve Dunton from the University of Southern California; Dr. Kaigang Li and Dr. Dan Graham from Colorado State University; Dr. Jimikaye Courtney from the University of North Carolina, and Dr. Bridgette Do from FitMinded, Inc.

Physical Activity Research with Apps and Wearable Trackers

Physical Activity Research with Apps and Wearable Trackers

Klein Buendel Scientist, Dr. Kayla Nuss, was a presenter or co-author on four panels, posters, and presentations at the 44th Annual Sessions and Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in Phoenix, Arizona on April 26-29, 2023. The presentations highlighted research Dr. Nuss conducted as a Post-doctoral Fellow at the University of Victoria in Canada before joining Klein Buendel as a Scientist in 2022.

Dr. Kayla Nuss at SBM

Presentation 1: Poster Session

“Examining the Effect of Daily Social Media Use of Physical Activity Behaviors: A Daily Diary Study”

Presenters: Ms. Rebecca Coulter, Dr. Sam Liu, and Dr. Kayla Nuss

Previous studies have assessed the effects of health-related social media use on physical activity; however the evidence remains mixed. Currently, little is known about how daily social media use influences daily physical activity behavior. Understanding the influence of social media use on physical activity behavior may help design future interventions. The objective of this study was to examine whether the daily consumption of health-related social media content is associated with daily physical activity behaviors. Results provided evidence that viewing health-related social media content can influence daily physical activity behavior – specifically , exercise intensity. The authors suggested that future studies should focus on within-person variations in behavior based on social media use.

Presentation 2: Symposium 1

“Contextual and Situational Motivation for Physical Activity in Wearable Activity Tracker Users: A Daily Diary Study”

Presenters: Ms. Rebecca Coulter, Dr. Sam Liu, and Dr. Kayla Nuss

Wearable activity trackers (WAT) were developed to support physical activity engagement but little is known about how WAT users are motivated for physical activity. The presenters have identified distinct motivational profiles among WAT users; but no study has assessed the relationship between contextual and situational motivation for physical activity. To evaluate this relationship, intensive daily survey methodology is needed. Understanding the relationship between contextual and situational motivation for physical activity is critical to improve the effectiveness of WAT. The objectives of the study were to: (1) evaluate the feasibility of collecting day-level situational motivation for physical activity using a customized mobile app made by a no-code app development platform; and 2) describe two levels of motivation (contextual and situational) in WAT users using the hierarchical model of motivation. The presenters hypothesized that they would identify distinct motivational profiles and that those profiles would predict differing levels of situational motivation. Collecting situational motivation for physical activity was feasible using a no-code mobile platform. WAT users vary in their contextual motivational profile for physical activity and these predict some types of situational motivation. They suggested that future research should further investigate physical activity motivation in WAT users to identify intervention opportunities. 

Presentation 3: Symposium 2

“Implementing Mobile Health Interventions and Observational Studies Using a No-code App Development Platform”

Presenters: Dr. Denver Brown, Dr. Sam Liu, Dr. Kayla Nuss, and Ms. Amanda Willms

Mobile health (mHealth) technology holds tremendous potential to deliver behavior health interventions and understand human behavior. However, a challenge facing researchers when conducting mHealth research is the resources required to develop and maintain mHealth apps. Specifically, a no-code mHealth research app development platform may enable researchers with no previous software programming skills to create apps through a graphical user interface. In this symposium, presenters discussed how a no-code app development platform, was created and used to co-design and implement physical activity mHealth interventions and conduct longitudinal observational studies to understand physical activity behavior. The first presenter provided an overview of the no-code mHealth research platform and discussed its development and usability testing. The second presenter discussed how the platform was used to co-design adaptive mHealth physical activity interventions. Dr. Nuss discussed how the platform was used to implement a daily diary study to examine changes in situational motivation for physical activity based on contextual motivational profile in current wearable activity tracker users over a 14-day period. The final presenter discussed how the platform was used conduct a longitudinal feasibility study examining the influence that first-year roommates have on one another’s device-measured physical activity behavior during the transition to university which included weekly surveys to capture dyadic relations.

Presentation 4: Paper Session

“Reflecting on Physical Activity across Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predictors if Intention-Behavior Profiles”

Presenter: Dr. Ryan Rhodes

Co-authors: Dr. Sam Liu, Dr. Kayla Nuss, and Dr. Wuyou Sui

The COVD-19 Pandemic has affected how many people engage in regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA). Understanding the correlates of various motivational and behavioral profiles is important to producing effective interventions. The purpose of this study was to predict current and dynamic (across two years of the COVID-19 Pandemic) intention and MVPA profiles using the multi-process action control (M-PAC) framework. Few participants increased MVPA across the pandemic and dynamic patterns of intention-MVPA profiles by pre-pandemic MVPA showed the presence of two at risk groups (relapsed non-intenders relapsed unsuccessful intenders) who have relapsed in MVPA. Collectively, the findings support the joint promotion of reflective regulatory and reflexive processes in the choice of behavior change techniques to promote post-pandemic MVPA intention and behavior. 

Effects of Motivational Interviewing and Wearable Fitness Trackers on Motivation and Physical Activity in Inactive Adults

Effects of Motivational Interviewing and Wearable Fitness Trackers on Motivation and Physical Activity in Inactive Adults

Despite tremendous adoption of wearable fitness trackers by adults, it is unclear if they affect physical activity engagement or motivation. In a paper published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, Dr. Kayla Nuss, Klein Buendel Scientist, and her research collaborators reported on a study to examine the combined effects of motivational interviewing and wearable fitness trackers on motivation and physical activity in inactive adults.

The authors hypothesized that combining a wearable fitness tracker (such as a FitBit®) with an effective intervention (motivational interviewing), would positively influence both motivation and physical activity. To test the hypothesis, a 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted with 40 adults who did not meet physical activity recommendations. The four comparison groups were: (1) physical activity education only (educational control) with 10 participants, (2) use of a wearable fitness tracker (WFT) with 10 participants, (3) bi-weekly motivational interviewing sessions with 10 participants, or (4) both motivational interviewing and WFT (WFT+) with 10 participants.

Motivation and physical activity were measured though an online survey and actigraphy (a method to objectively estimate physical activity) pre- and post-intervention. Both the WFT+ and motivational interviewing groups scored higher in autonomy, competence, and relatedness for physical activity compared to the control group, which is associated with higher quality, or more autonomous forms of motivation. Further, both groups did show improvements in autonomous forms of motivations (such as interest or enjoyment) and decreased controlled forms of motivation (such as pressure or reward). Detailed descriptions of the study’s methods, recruitment efforts, measures, data analysis, outcomes, and limitations can be found in the Journal of Sports Sciences publication.

The authors detected no changes in physical activity. High autonomous motivation at baseline predicted higher post-intervention physical activity in the WFT+ group, but predicted lower post-intervention physical activity in the WFT group. The results of the study suggest that motivational interviewing alone or with a wearable fitness tracker can improve basic psychological needs and autonomous forms of motivation for physical activity, but not physical activity participation. The authors conclude that individual differences in motivation at baseline may moderate the effect of a wearable fitness tracker on physical activity. The findings add to the growing body of evidence that wearable fitness trackers can have some positive effect on adult’s physical activity.

This research was supported by Colorado State University Department of Health and Exercise Science (Dr. Kayla Nuss, Project Director). Collaborating authors included Ms. Kristen Moore from the University of Southern California; Dr. Tasha Marchant from the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center; Dr. Jimikaye Beck Courtney from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; and Ms. Kathryn Edwards, Dr. Julia Sharp, Dr. Tracy Nelson, and Dr. Kaigang Li from Colorado State University.

Welcome Dr. Kayla Nuss!

Welcome Dr. Kayla Nuss!

Dr. Kayla Nuss

Kayla Nuss, Ph.D., is Klein Buendel’s newest Scientist and Principal Investigator. Dr. Nuss comes to Klein Buendel from a post-doctoral fellowship with the Digital Health Lab at the University of Victoria in Canada, where she analyzed de-identified data for a comprehensive digital diabetes intervention program in India. 

In 2021, Dr. Nuss earned her Ph.D. in Bioenergetics from Colorado State University (CSU). Her dissertation was titled “Wearable Fitness Trackers in Physical Activity Research: Accuracy and Effects on Motivation and Engagement.” She also has two Master’s Degrees: one in Health and Exercise Science from CSU and a second in Student Development in Post-Secondary Education from the University of Iowa. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Spanish from Cornell College in Iowa. And she graduated from our local Golden High School!

Dr. Nuss’ research interests center on motivation for physical activity, how wearable technology supports or thwarts motivation in various populations, and how to optimize wearable technology to support the development and maintenance of engagement in physical activity.

At Klein Buendel, she is currently collaborating with Dr. Robert Newton from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, Dr. Derek Griffith from Georgetown University, and Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel on a research study to address physical activity maintenance in African American men with smartphone technology (MD014947; Dr. Robert Newton and Dr. Kayla Nuss, Multiple Principal Investigators).

Dr. Nuss is also a Co-Investigator on a collaborative team of highly-experienced cancer prevention and control investigators from the Four Corners Cancer Centers Collaborative (University of Arizona, University of Colorado, University of New Mexico, and University of Utah), Colorado State University, and Klein Buendel (CA268037; Dr. David Buller and Dr. Andrew Sussman from the University of New Mexico, Multiple Principal Investigators). This team is launching a 5-year research study focusing on decreasing cancer risk factors among emerging adults (ages 18-26) living in rural counties in the “Four Corners” states (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah) using a social media campaign. Dr. Nuss will lend her expertise in the area of motivation for physical activity.

Collaborator Spotlight:
Dr. Derek Griffith

Collaborator Spotlight:
Dr. Derek Griffith

Dr. Derek Griffith is a Founding Co-Director of the Racial Justice Institute, the Founder and Director of the Center for Men’s Health Equity, a Professor of Health Systems Administration and Oncology, and a Member of the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He earned his Ph.D. from DePaul University in 2002 and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health in 2004.

Dr. Griffith’s research focuses on strategies to improve African American men’s health, such as precision lifestyle medicine interventions to prevent and control obesity and other chronic diseases. Specifically, he studies the “links between notions of masculinity or manhood and health among men of color; the role of stress and coping processes in men’s health disparities; and how gender intersects with race, ethnicity, SES and other variables to shape men’s physical and mental health behavior and health outcomes.” 

In a current research project, Dr. Griffith is a Co-Investigator with Dr. Robert Newton from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana and Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel on a study to develop and evaluate a smartphone app to increase and maintain physical activity in African American. The app is called FitBrothers and will include personalization, chronic disease health information, dietary information, competition activities, and incentives to promote and sustain physical activity. The study is being funded by a Small Business Technology Transfer grant to Klein Buendel from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (MD014947; Dr. Robert Newton and Dr. David Buller, Multiple Principal Investigators).

Dr. Griffith has received research grants as the Principal Investigator from the American Cancer Society, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and several institutes within the National Institutes of Health. He has authored over 140 peer-reviewed manuscripts and serves on the editorial boards of several public health and men’s health journals.

Dr. Griffith has received multiple distinguished awards and honors throughout his career, including:

  • The Tom Bruce Award from the Community-Based Public Health Caucus of the American Public Health Association in recognition of his research on eliminating health disparities that vary by race, ethnicity and gender;
  • Recognition as a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior for his significant contributions to the field of health behavior research; and
  • Designation as one of 1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America by the Cell Mentor’s Community of Scholars. 

FitBrothers

FitBrothers

African American men experience significant health disparities across a number of preventable chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, strokes, diabetes, and cancer. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable risk factor for these conditions. However, the limited number of clinic- or community-based PA promotion studies that have included African American men have resulted in successful short-term behavior change for PA levels. Maintenance of increased PA levels over an extended time period is needed for sustained health benefits.

A research team from Klein Buendel, the Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC), and Georgetown University are launching a new research project to address PA maintenance in African American men with technology. The project is: A Smartphone App to Increase and Maintain Physical Activity in African American Men (FitBrothers). The effort is being led by Dr. Robert Newton from PBRC and is being funded by a Fast-Track STTR grant to Klein Buendel from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (MD014947; Dr. Robert Newton, Principal Investigator).

Dr. Newton’s preliminary focus group data indicates that African American men would be receptive to maintenance strategies delivered via smartphone. For this new project, the team will develop a prototype smartphone app and conduct usability testing to determine design viability and acceptability among would-be users in Phase I. In Phase II, the team will conduct a comparative effectiveness trial to assess success of the app on the PA maintenance levels of participating African American men.

Dr. Newton is an Associate Professor of Physical Activity and Ethnic Minority Health at PBRC. His research collaborators include Dr. Derek Griffith from Georgetown University and Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel. Dr. Griffith is the Founding Co-Director of the Racial Justice Institute, Founder and Director of the Center for Men’s Health Equity, and Professor of Health Systems Administration and Oncology at Georgetown. Dr. Buller is the Director of Research at Klein Buendel. The FitBrothers app will be engineered by Klein Buendel’s Creative Team.

Using Machine Learning Techniques to Predict Sunburn Risk in Outdoor Exercisers

Using Machine Learning Techniques to Predict Sunburn Risk in Outdoor Exercisers

In response to recreational UV exposure being associated with skin cancer (1), Julia Berteletti, MSW, and David Buller, PhD, of Klein Buendel have launched a new research project to harness technology to increase individual’s sun safety during outdoor physical activity. The title of the new project is “Using Retrospective and Real-Time Physical Activity Tracking to Predict Risk of Sunburn in Outdoor Exercisers on Strava.”

The Strava Sun Project is based on evidence that individuals who engage in more physical activity have a higher prevalence of sunburn (2, 3-6), a proximal biomarker of melanoma risk, and melanoma is positively associated with physical activity (7). For some athletes, forgetting to apply sunscreen (8,9) or not liking its feel while engaged in physical activity can be barriers to sun protection (8,10). An expert meeting hosted by the National Cancer Institute identified sun safety during physical activity as a priority research area (11) and the U.S. Surgeon General prioritized strategies for coordinating messages on sun safety and physical activity in the Call to Action to Prevent Skin Cancer (12).

Online and mobile technologies for tracking physical activity have exploded over the past decade. Many Americans wear activity trackers or GPS-enabled devices, such as  Fitbit and Garmin, and upload their physical activity data to websites/mobile apps. Strava, an activity tracking app and social networking site for athletes of all abilities, is one of the most popular. Millions share their own activities and follow and comment on physical activity by other users in their network. The goal of this project is to increase skin cancer prevention among a high-risk population, adults who engage in outdoor physical activity by establishing feasibility of interfacing sun protection advice with the Strava website/mobile app.

Specifically, the research will create an algorithm that predicts when individuals are likely to be engaged in physical activity outdoors, and delivers sun safety advice tailored to time, location, and personal risk (for example, skin sun sensitivity). The Strava Sun program will obtain user data and deliver ecologically-valid sun safety advice by utilizing Strava’s open-source Applications Programming Interface (API) and location-based advice algorithms developed by Klein Buendel for the sun safety mobile app, sunZapp (13). Machine learning techniques will be employed to develop an algorithm using Strava activities to predict high-risk behavior, such as outdoor physical activity when UV levels are high and sun safety is advised.

Overall, a sun protection interface for the Strava platform will allow for the identification of a large population of Americans at high risk for skin cancer who routinely engage in physical activity, often outdoors with high-risk sun exposure, and reach them with sun safety advice they may not seek on their own to motivate them to practice sun safety during outdoor activities.

This project is funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (CA241637; Dr. David Buller and Ms. Julia Berteletti, Multiple Principal Investigators). Co-Investigators include Dr. Kim Henry and Dr. Chuck Anderson from Colorado State University. Other collaborators include Dr. Sherry Pagoto from the University of Connecticut and Mr. Scott Camichael, a recent software engineer at Strava. Developers at Klein Buendel will produce the API database and program.

References

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