A home-based physical activity intervention using activity trackers in survivors of childhood cancer: A pilot study.
Over 70% of childhood cancer survivors develop late complications from therapy, many of which can be mitigated by physical activity. Survivors engage in exercise at similar or lower rates than their sedentary healthy peers. We piloted a novel home-based exercise intervention with a motivational activity tracker. We evaluated (i) feasibility, (ii) impact on activity levels and physical fitness, and (iii) barriers, preferences, and beliefs regarding physical activity.



Childhood cancer survivors currently 15 years or older and not meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention physical activity guidelines were enrolled and instructed to wear the Fitbit One, a 4.8 cm × 1.8 cm motivational activity tracker, daily for 6 months. Baseline and follow-up evaluations included self-report surveys, an Actigraph accelerometer for 7 days, and a VO2maximum test by cardiac stress test.



Nineteen participants were enrolled (13.4% participation rate) with a mean age of 24.3 ± 5.8 years (range 15-35). Four participants withdrew with a 79% retention rate. Participants wore the Fitbit an average of 19.0 ± 4.7 days per month during months 1-3 and 15.0 ± 7.9 days per month during months 4-6. Total weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity increased from 265.6 ± 117.0 to 301.4 ± 135.4 min and VO2maximum increased from 25.7 ± 7.7 to 27.2 ± 7.4 ml/kg/min. These changes were not statistically significant (P = 0.47 and 0.30, respectively). Survey responses indicated no change in barriers, preferences, and beliefs regarding physical activity.



This pilot study of a motivational activity tracker demonstrated feasibility as measured by participant retention, receptivity, and belief of utility. Future studies with a large sample size are needed to demonstrate the efficacy and sustainability of this intervention.
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Alyssa
A
Le
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Hannah-Rose
HR
Mitchell
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Daniel J
DJ
Zheng
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
Jaime
J
Rotatori
Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.
John T
JT
Fahey
Department of Epidemiology and Cancer Control, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee.
Kirsten K
KK
Ness
Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.|Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, Connecticut.
Nina S
NS
Kadan-Lottick
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D000072936:Fitness Trackers; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors; D055815:Young Adult
adolescent; childhood cancer; exercise intervention; late effects of cancer treatment; survivorship; young adult