title: The effects of a pedometer-based intervention on first-year university students: A randomized control trial.
abstract: To assess the effects of a 12-week pedometer-based intervention on the physical activity behavior, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and psychological well-being of first-year university students.
  
  
  
  First-year university students (N = 184) were recruited during September 2012 and randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group.
  
  
  
  Intervention participants were provided with a pedometer, monthly tracking logs, and follow-up e-mails. Control participants received no intervention. Physical activity, HRQOL, and psychological well-being were measured at baseline and post intervention. Data were analyzed using multivariate/univariate analysis of variance (MANOVA/ANOVA).
  
  
  
  All participants experienced an increase in mild physical activity (p < .01) from baseline to follow-up. The intervention failed to produce significant differences between groups for physical activity (p = .28), HRQOL (p = .80), or psychological well-being (p = .72). Psychological well-being (p < .001), vigorous physical activity (p = .04), and mental health status (p < .001) decreased across the duration of the study.
  
  
  
  More intensive interventions may be required to elicit physical activity behavior change.
authors.affiliation: a School of Health and Exercise Sciences , University of British Columbia , Kelowna , Canada.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sharp
authors.affiliation: a School of Health and Exercise Sciences , University of British Columbia , Kelowna , Canada.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caperchione
mesh_terms: D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D000072936:Fitness Trackers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Pedometer intervention; physical activity; psychological well-being; quality of life; university students