Increase daily walking for people at risk of heart disease
Influencing Basic Behavioral Mechanisms of Action while targeting Daily Walking in Those at Risk for Cardiovascular Disease: Science of Behavior Change Factorial Experiment of Behavioral Change
This project sees whether four specific behavior-change techniques can help very sedentary adults at risk for heart disease walk about 1,000 more steps per day.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Feinstein Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhasset, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11128648 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would wear an accelerometer and be randomly assigned to different combinations of four behavior-change techniques aimed at boosting confidence to walk more. The study repeatedly measures your step counts and self-confidence (self-efficacy) over time to see which techniques actually lead to more walking. Unlike big multi-part programs, this approach tests individual techniques and tracks the behavioral mechanism repeatedly to identify what causes the change. The team is recruiting adults who are very sedentary and have higher cardiovascular risk and will follow participants over the study period.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 or older who are very sedentary and have elevated risk for cardiovascular disease are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who already meet activity guidelines, those without cardiovascular risk, or individuals who cannot walk are unlikely to benefit from these walking-focused techniques.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could point to simple, targeted coaching steps that help sedentary adults at risk for heart disease increase daily walking and potentially lower their cardiovascular risk.
How similar studies have performed: Previous multi-component programs have improved confidence and activity, but isolating the effect of single behavior-change techniques has been largely untested, making this approach relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Manhasset, United States
- Feinstein Institute for Medical Research — Manhasset, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Davidson, Karina W. — Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Davidson, Karina W.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.