Walk this Way: a pilot study investigating the effect of a motivational pedometer based walking intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase activity levels of people with serious mental illness

ISRCTN ISRCTN37724980
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN37724980
Submission date
04/08/2015
Registration date
25/09/2015
Last edited
10/10/2023
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
People with serious mental illness have a shorter life expectancy than the general population for many reasons including the effects of antipsychotic medication and unhealthy lifestyle. Walking is a simple and gentle form of exercise which may help people with psychosis lose weight. Breaking up sessions of sedentary behaviour (i.e., sitting or lying) can help prevent heart disease. We wish to test the feasibility of a 16-week intervention to increase physical activity and break up sessions of sedentary behaviour with people using adult community mental health services in Lambeth.

Who can participate?
Adult patients with a serious mental illness who are overweight, diabetic, smoke tobacco, or have a sedentary lifestyle, and who use adult community mental health services in Lambeth.

What does the study involve?
We will recruit 40 people and randomise them to 50% intervention and 50% control. We will collect outcome data on the person's level of activity (which will involve asking participants to wear an accelerometer for four days pre and post intervention) and wear a pedomoter during the intervention. We will also collect details of sociodemographics, physical health status, and mental well-being pre and post intervention. We will also undertake a process evaluation of the intervention to understand the experience of participants by interviewing participants after the intervention has finished. We will use the information from this study to plan for a larger Randomised Controlled Trial.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
We hope that participants will benefit from improved physical health in terms of increased activity, possible weight loss and increased well-being. We do not foresee any risk for the participants but there is potential for a bruise to occur following the blood test and wearing the accelerometer may be burdensome for participants.

Where is the study run from?
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (UK).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2015 to June 2016.

Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health Research (UK).

Who is the main contact?
Julie Williams
julie.williams@kcl.ac.uk

Contact information

Ms Julie Williams
Public

CLAHRC South London
David Goldberg Centre
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
De Crespigny Park
London
SE5 8AF
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)20 7848 5087
Email julie.williams@kcl.ac.uk

Study information

Study designSingle-centre small-scale randomized controlled trial
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Community
Study typeTreatment
Scientific titleWalk this Way: a pilot study investigating the effect of a motivational pedometer based walking intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase activity levels of people with serious mental illness
Study objectivesOur study questions is: can we recruit people with serious mental illness, who also have physical risk factors, to a walking intervention and retain them in the intervention for 4 months?
Ethics approval(s)NRES Committee - City Road and Hampsted, 21/08/2015, REC ref: 15/LO/1188
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedSerious mental illness defined as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression
InterventionOur intervention is a 4-month intervention to support people to be more active. This will include an initial group education session regarding the benefits of physical activity lasting approximately 2.5 hours, two weekly 'coaching' sessions with a mental health worker, and the provision of a pedometer to measure the number of steps taken. Participants will also be invited to a weekly walk.

The control group will receive brief information on the benefits of being more active in one individual session.
Intervention typeMixed
Primary outcome measureAmount of sedentary behaviour and physical activity measured by an accelerometer which will be worn by participants for 4 days before and after the intervention
Secondary outcome measures1. BMI and waist circumference
2. Self report sedentary behaviour and physical activity measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire
3. Motivation to engage in physical activity measured using the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2
4. insulin resistance, long-term blood glucose control, fasting lipids and c reactive protein measured from blood samples collected from participants
5. Mental well-being measured using the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale
6. Functional mobility measured using the Timed Get up and Go (TUG) Test
All outcomes, primary and secondary, will be measured at baseline and follow-up, which is at the end of the 16-week intervention.
Overall study start date01/09/2015
Completion date01/06/2016

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants40
Total final enrolment40
Key inclusion criteria1. Has a serious mental illness
2. Is any of: overweight, diabetic, smokes tobacco, has a sedentary lifestyle
3. Uses secondary mental health services
Key exclusion criteria1. Has no physical health issue as listed in inclusion criteria
3. Is unable to give informed consent
Date of first enrolment01/09/2015
Date of final enrolment31/10/2015

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
SE9 8AA
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

King's College London
University/education

Hodgkin Building
Guy's Campus
London
SE1 4UL
England
United Kingdom

Website http://www.kcl.ac.uk/index.aspx
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0220mzb33
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Hospital/treatment centre

161 Denmark Hill
London
SE5 8EF
England
United Kingdom

Website https://www.kch.nhs.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/01n0k5m85

Funders

Funder type

Government

National Institute for Health Research
Government organisation / National government
Alternative name(s)
National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
Location
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareNo
IPD sharing plan summaryData sharing statement to be made available at a later date
Publication and dissemination planWe plan to publish in peer-reviewed journals, at conferences and in written reports to participants and service managers.
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Results article results 18/09/2019 20/09/2019 Yes No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No
Protocol article 12/12/2016 10/10/2023 Yes No

Editorial Notes

10/10/2023: Publication reference added.
20/09/2019: Publication reference and total final enrolment added.