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Trial registered on ANZCTR

Registration number

ACTRN12622001432707

Ethics application status

Approved

Date submitted

19/09/2022

Date registered

8/11/2022

Date last updated

8/11/2022

Date data sharing statement initially provided

8/11/2022

Type of registration

Retrospectively registered

Titles & IDs

Public title

Fit 4 Study: Creating healthy habits through physical activity and exercise for University Students

Scientific title

Fit 4 study: Investigating the effect of a 4-week, behaviour-change informed physical activity intervention on mental health and wellbeing in first-year undergraduate university students

Secondary ID [1]

NIL

Universal Trial Number (UTN)

Trial acronym

F4S

Linked study record

Health condition

Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:

Mental Health

Depression

Anxiety-related Disorders

Stress

Loneliness

Psychological Distress

Mental wellbeing

Condition category

Condition code

Mental Health

Anxiety

Mental Health

Depression

Mental Health

Other mental health disorders

Public Health

Health promotion/education

Intervention/exposure

Study type

Interventional

Description of intervention(s) / exposure

The Fit 4 Study program will be delivered in small groups (e.g., up to 10 students with at least 2 facilitators) through online methods (e.g. zoom) or in person on the campus of The University of Queensland. In-person sessions will take place either in the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Science gym or other parts of The University of Queensland campus with outdoor exercise facilities. The intervention involves only one phase which will span 4-weeks, with one session occurring each week. Participants are asked to provide written consent prior to their participation in the intervention.

The Sharper Minds project aims to provide several mental health resources to undergraduate students, so that they are equipped with coping strategies via the interventions provided. As part of the Sharper Minds Project, the Fit 4 Study (physical activity) program is delivered alongside other interventions focusing on areas of sleep (Better Sleep), diet (Food 4 Brain), music (Tuned-In), resilience training (GRUNT), and group belonging training (Groups4Education). All arms of the Sharper Minds program will run simultaneously. Thus, this is a non-randomised trial where participants are required to opt in to their choice of program. To avoid confounding effects of multiple interventions, participants are only allowed to choose one of the arms.

The Fit 4 Study program is comprised of both synchronous and asynchronous activities for participants. The asynchronous content, developed specifically for this course, is provided via a website link (provided under "trial website"), which comprises of up to 20 minutes of recorded content for participants to watch in their own time.

Description of topics covered in Asynchronous Content:
Week 1
- Definition and recommended levels of Physical Activity
- Benefits of Exercise
- Introduction to Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change
- How to track physical activity intensity
- How to breathe when engaging in physical activity
Week 2
- What is anaerobic exercise?
- What is aerobic exercise?
- Explanation of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), including benefits of HIIT (e.g. exercises performed at a high intensity for short periods of time. Benefits include: (1) able to complete routine in short amount of time; (2) no equipment needed; (3) research shows that people seem to stick with it; (4) improved V02 max, which improves the intensity someone can work at; (5) burns are much calories as traditional cardiovascular-based exercise.
- Machine-based Cardio exercises (e.g. treadmill, rower, step-up machine, assault bike, etc.)
- Bodyweight cardio exercises (e.g. high knees, mountain climbers, burpees, etc.)
Week 3
- Physical Activity focused on getting stronger
- Bodyweight exercises and its benefits (e.g. convenient, cost-effective, improves function and mobility, easily adjustable, works multiple muscles at once)
- Free weight exercises and its benefits (e.g. increase muscle size and strength, great for strengthening muscles that stabilise our body core, helps prevent injuries to body, each exercise has many different variations)
- Machines and its benefits (e.g. easy to use, focuses on specific muscle groups, safer and reduced risk of injury, no set up required, easy to adjust weight/resistance)
- FIIT principles (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type)
- Frequency refers to the number of times individuals engage in physical activity. Frequency is important for finding a balance that provides enough stress for the body to adapt but also allows time for healing. Recommended frequency for novice is 2-3 days, and 4-6 days for advanced individuals
- Intensity refers to how hard you work your body during physical activity. Appropriate intensity is required to grow in strength and see changes while reducing risk of injury
- Time refers to the time of day when you engage in physical activity and the duration of each session
- Type refers to the type of physical activity you are doing. There are 4 broad categories: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility (which are covered in the Fit 4 Study program)
- Muscular Endurance training definition and uses
- Hypertrophy training definition and uses
- Strength training definition and uses
- Power training definition and uses
- How to create a balanced physical activity program and the importance of having a balanced program (e.g. tips on how to balance different types of physical activity in one session)
Week 4
- What is stretching? Benefits of stretching include keeping bodies flexible, maintaining strength in muscles, keeping joints healthy, in order to improve mobility and posture, and reduce risk of injuries and muscle soreness
- Types of stretching can be categorised into static and dynamic stretching. Static stretches are more appropriate for cool downs while dynamic stretches are used for warm ups
- What is balance? Benefits of having good balance include: stable joints, improved coordination, prevention of falls and injuries, and improves reaction time
- Types of balance exercises include single led exercises on various types of surfaces, having both feet together, standing in tandem, and any exercise on a challenging surface.

The synchronous content is run once a week on an online platform (e.g. zoom) or face to face small group discussion, which will be led by 2 facilitators (at least one accredited physiotherapist or exercise physiologist will oversee the physical activity-related activities. Both facilitators have experience in behaviour change). These group discussions focus on applying the content learned in the short videos and utilising strategies for adoption and long-term maintenance of physical activities. Discussions aims to identify potential barriers and enablers to Physical Activity. The facilitators work with the students to develop brief strategies based on behavioural change techniques to overcome barriers and maintain enablers to physical activity. Examples of this content will include behavioural change strategies aimed to help students begin or take on physical activity despite their busy academic expectations and commitments. The synchronous sessions will run for 60 minutes. Adherence to the program will be monitored using an attendance sheet.

Week-by-week description of the Synchronous component of the Fit 4 Study program:
Week 1
- Introduction and rapport building
- Discussions about their current understanding of physical activity and sedentary behaviour and how to measure these behaviours
- Gather reflections of participants based on asynchronous content
- Allow for questions about types of static exercises and provide guidance on how to breathe when engaging in said exercises
- Have discussions about the transtheoretical model of behaviour change and facilitate conversations surrounding participants' past successes and failures on behaviour change
- Participants are required to set an individual physical activity goal
- Examples of exercise for the week: bodyweight squats, push-ups, front planks

Week 2
- Facilitate discussions on how participants went with achieving their physical activity goal from week 1. Consolidate reasons for why some were able to reach their goals and why some were not able to
- Introduce SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time). Help participants see whether the barriers they brought up earlier could be addressed by SMART goals
- Allow time to reframe participants' individual physical activity goals from week 1 and add in more detail based on SMART principles
- Reflections about asynchronous content from week 2
- Examples of exercise for the week: HIIT circuit - 30 seconds of exercise with 20 seconds of rest. 5 sets in total, with 1 min of rest between each set. Exercises include: push ups, crunches, mountain climbers, burpees, squat jumps, etc.)

Week 3
- Check if participants were able to introduce aerobic or anaerobic exercises during the physical activity routine
- Recap of asynchronous content and allow time for participants to ask specific questions about the different types of strength-building exercises they wish to participate in
- Facilitate discussions about barriers and enablers to physical activity that participants have been experiencing.
- Come up with individualised strategies to overcome barriers identified and create more opportunities for enablers to promote physical activity
- Examples of exercises for the week: forward lunges, thread the needles, variations of push ups.

Week 4
- Check if participants had tried out strength-based physical activity to their routines
- Recap of online content on flexibility and balance
- Discussions on how participants have been settling into their physical activity routine and how to maintain new habit
- Reflection of entire program
- Examples of exercises for the week: warm up stretches (e.g. wide hamstring stretch, high knees, dynamic stretches). Cool down stretches (e.g. calf stretch, chest stretch, glute stretch, spinal rolls). Yoga and tai chi poses. Balance tasks (e.g. tandem stance, single leg stance, single leg stance on unstable surface).

Intervention code [1]

Prevention

Intervention code [2]

Lifestyle

Intervention code [3]

Behaviour

Comparator / control treatment

A no-treatment control group part of the parent study of Sharper Minds, will be included as a comparator group (complete the same survey at beginning and end of semester). The participants from the no-treatment control group opt in for this choice and are only invited to complete the outcome surveys (pre- and post-) at the same time as participants in the intervention.

Control group

Active

Outcomes

Primary outcome [1]

Short Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Measure

Timepoint [1]