title: Balanced: a randomised trial examining the efficacy of two self-monitoring methods for an app-based multi-behaviour intervention to improve physical activity, sitting and sleep in adults.
abstract: Many adults are insufficiently physically active, have prolonged sedentary behaviour and report poor sleep. These behaviours can be improved by interventions that include education, goal setting, self-monitoring, and feedback strategies. Few interventions have explicitly targeted these behaviours simultaneously or examined the relative efficacy of different self-monitoring methods.
  
  
  
  This study aims to compare the efficacy of two self-monitoring methods in an app-based multi-behaviour intervention to improve objectively measured physical activity, sedentary, and sleep behaviours, in a 9 week 2-arm randomised trial. Participants will be adults (n = 64) who report being physically inactive, sitting >8 h/day and frequent insufficient sleep (≥14 days out of last 30). The "Balanced" intervention is delivered via a smartphone 'app', and includes education materials (guidelines, strategies to promote change in behaviour), goal setting, self-monitoring and feedback support. Participants will be randomly allocated to either a device-entered or user-entered self-monitoring method. The device-entered group will be provided with a activity tracker to self-monitor behaviours. The user-entered group will recall and manually record behaviours. Assessments will be conducted at 0, 3, 6, and 9 weeks. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep-wake behaviours will be measured using the wrist worn Geneactiv accelerometer. Linear mixed models will be used to examine differences between groups and over time using an alpha of 0.01.
  
  
  
  This study will evaluate an app-based multi-behavioural intervention to improve physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep; and the relative efficacy of two different approaches to self-monitoring these behaviours. Outcomes will provide information to inform future interventions and self-monitoring targeting these behaviours.
  
  
  
  ACTRN12615000182594 (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Registry URL: www.anzctr.org.au ; registered prospectively on 25 February 2015).
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Mitch.Duncan@newcastle.edu.au.
authors.forename: Mitch J
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9166-6195
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.affiliation: School of Human Health and Social Science; Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland University, Building 18, Bruce Highway, Rockhampton, QLD, 4702, Australia.
authors.forename: Corneel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vandelanotte
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia.
authors.forename: Stewart G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Trost
authors.affiliation: School of Human Health and Social Science; Physical Activity Research Group, Central Queensland University, Building 18, Bruce Highway, Rockhampton, QLD, 4702, Australia.
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rebar
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicola W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Murawski
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rayward
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine & Public Health; Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Sasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fenton
authors.affiliation: School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D063731:Mobile Applications; D009517:New South Wales; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012890:Sleep; D000068997:Smartphone; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Adults; App-based intervention; Physical activity; Sedentary; Sleep