title: A pilot lifestyle intervention study: effects of an intervention using an activity monitor and Twitter on physical activity and body composition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This pilot study aimed to examine the effects of a lifestyle intervention comprising an activity monitor and the concurrent use of Twitter, on physical activity (PA) and body composition.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen healthy volunteers (36±3 years) were randomly assigned to normal (N, N.=8) or Twitter (T, N.=9) intervention groups for six weeks. Participants in both groups wore an activity monitor but those in the T group also tweeted daily about their PA. An observer read the tweets from each participant and provided feedback. Body composition was determined using bioelectrical impedance analysis before and after the intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly more daily steps and PA at an intensity of ≥3 metabolic equivalents (METs) were recorded by the T than the N during six weeks. The number of steps and PA did not significantly change over time in the N, but significantly increased in the T from weeks one to six (8170±1130 to 12,934±1400 steps/day and 2.6±0.5 to 5.0±0.8 METs·h/day). In addition, significantly more body fat was lost in the T, than in the N (-1.1±0.2 vs. -0.1±0.3 kg), and the changes in PA significantly correlated with the changes in body fat (r=-0.713).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lifestyle intervention can increase daily PA and reduce body fat more effectively when using an activity monitor and Twitter than an activity monitor alone.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Osaka Institute of Technology, Osaka, Japan - masato.nishiwaki@oit.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishiwaki
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Nana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ikegami
authors.affiliation: School of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Saitama, Tokorozawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryoko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Business, Sports Management Course, Hannan University, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazumichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurobe
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D009043:Motor Activity; D010865:Pilot Projects; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D061108:Social Media