Using social incentives to encourage more walking among adults

A Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Study of Social Incentives Strategies to Increase Physical Activity

NIH-funded research University of Pennsylvania · NIH-10849767

This study is looking at how fun challenges and giving to charity can encourage adults to walk more, and it will involve 225 families to see what works best for getting everyone moving together.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pennsylvania NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-10849767 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how social incentives can motivate adults to increase their physical activity, particularly walking. It focuses on two main strategies: gamification and charitable donations linked to physical activity achievements. The study will adapt these strategies through community input and then test their effectiveness in a trial involving 225 families. By leveraging social networks, the goal is to create sustainable and scalable methods for improving health through increased activity levels.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are adults over 21 years old who are looking to increase their physical activity levels.

Not a fit: Patients who are already highly active or those with severe mobility limitations may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to innovative ways to enhance physical activity among adults, potentially improving overall health and reducing cognitive decline.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that social incentives can effectively increase physical activity, making this approach promising and not entirely novel.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Cardiovascular Diseases
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.