International Journal of Sport and Health Science
Online ISSN : 1880-4012
Print ISSN : 1348-1509
ISSN-L : 1348-1509
Effect of a Walking Program with the E-mail Function of Cellular Phone
Kanako YamawakiKoichiro OkaYoshio Nakamura
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2008 Volume 6 Pages 264-273

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Abstract

This study examined whether a walking program encouraged using the e-mail function of participants' cellular phones promotes behavior changes. Study participants were persons who wanted to join a walking program for their health. The experimental group had 1,111 members (male: n=554, female: n=557, 30-49 yrs) and the control group had 1,190 members (male: n=598, female: n=592, 30-49 yrs). The participants in the experimental group were encouraged to execute a walk behavior with e-mails using their cellular phones twice a week for one month . The contents of the e-mails depended on the level of walking as determined before the study for each participant. The main points studied were the time (in minutes) of walking per week and the extent of changes in the walking behavior. The analysis of results after receiving encouraging e-mail messages for one month showed more time spent walking for the experimental group in comparison with the time of the control group [Mean inter-group difference in change: 70.1 min/week, (p<0.05)]. The extent of changes in walking behavior (expressed as a percentage) was higher in the experimental group (38.5%) than in the control group (22.3%) (χ2=61.19, p<0.05). These results indicates that the walking program, encouraged by e-mail messages received on a cellular phone, promotes walking behavior in people.

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© 2008 Japan Society of Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences
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