Table 2.

Studies With Randomized Trial Designs.

Study	Baseline Sample Characteristics	Study Description	Behaviors Targeted	Intervention Duration/ Follow-up	Theoretical Framework	Physical Activity Measure(s)	Major Findings
Booth et al, 200860	N = 53 overweight Australian adults; mean age 46.3 years; 79% female; race NR; 27% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) access to Website that provided information on how to increase exercise, components included a self- monitoring application where participants uploaded daily step counts and received automated weekly feedback on how to increase their daily step counts, (b) same exercise content as Website in group a plus dietary/weight loss information on the Website	PA; weight loss	12 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	Goal-setting Theory	Adapted version of the Active Australian Survey; pedometers	Both groups significantly increased steps per day via pedometers (no between group differences); no significant increases in self-reported PA for either group
Carr et al, 201361	N = 53 sedentary healthy adults; mean age 36.9 years; 87% White; 10% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) enhanced version of the Step into Motion Website that consisted of various theory-based applications to promote PA, (b) standard Internet group that received access to 6 Websites that had previously demonstrated success for increasing PA	PA	6 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	SCT	7-Day PAR	At 3 months, the enhanced Internet group had a significantly greater increase in PA compared to the standard Internet group; at 6 months, both groups had significant increases in PA compared to baseline (no between group differences)
Dinger et al, 200762	N = 56 insufficiently active females; mean age 41.5 years; 100% female; 86% White; 18% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 email delivered pedometer interventions; Groups: (a) weekly emails reminders to wear pedometers and return activity logs, (b) same weekly emails as group a plus Transtheoretical Model–based stage-matched messages to increase step count	PA	6 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	TTM	IPAQ–Short Form	Both groups significantly increased PA at follow-up; no difference between groups
Ferney et al, 200963	N = 106 inactive Australian adults; mean age 52 years; 72% female; race NR; 18% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) access to a neighborhood environment–focused Website tailored for the participants’ residence, (b) access to Active Living Online Website (comparison group); both groups received emails	PA	26 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	SCT	Active Australia Questionnaire	Both groups significantly increased PA from baseline; however, the neighborhood group had a significantly greater increase in PA than comparison group
Harvey-Berino et al, 200264	N = 122 overweight healthy adults; mean age 48.4 years; 85% female; 97% White; 17% attrition	Three-arm trial comparing a Web-based intervention versus 2 in-person interventions (participants were randomized into groups following a 6-month face-to-face obesity treatment); Groups: (a) Internet support that consisted of weekly emails, Internet chat sessions with therapist/other participants, and self-monitoring tools, (b) frequent in-person support (biweekly), (c) minimal in-person support	Weight loss; PA	12 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire	All groups increased PA during face-to-face treatment (which was the baseline assessment for this study); only in-person support maintained an increase at end of maintenance
Harvey-Berino et al, 200465	N = 255 healthy overweight or obese adults, mean age 45.8 years; 82% female; race NR; 24% attrition	Three-arm trial comparing a Web-based intervention versus 2 in-person interventions: participants were randomized after 6-month behavioral weight loss program; Groups: (a) received access to a Website–based support program that consisted of self-monitoring applications, message boards, and b-weekly online chats, (b) frequent in-person support plus telephone calls, (c) minimal in-person contact that met monthly for the first 6 months of the 12-month study	PA; weight loss	12 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire	All groups significantly increased PA
Marcus et al, 200766	N = 249 health sedentary adults; mean age 44.5 years; 82% female; 81% White; 10% attrition	Three-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions versus a print intervention; Groups: (a) access to Website that provided computer-tailored feedback to promote PA, (b) received computer-tailored print material (same information as group a) via mail, (c) standard Internet with links to 6 public PA Websites	PA	12 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	TTM; SCT	7-Day PAR; submaximal graded exercise test	All groups increased PA; no difference in PA across groups
Marshall et al, 2003, 200567,68	N = 655 staff at an Australian university; mean age 43 years; 51% female; race NR; 22% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 delivery methods of the same intervention; Groups: (a) access to Active Living Website and biweekly personalized stage-matched emails, (b) Active Living print material and weekly letters to initiate use of print materials	PA	8 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	TTM	IPAQ–Short Form	No improvement in PA for either group
Nguyen et al, 200869	N = 50 individuals diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); mean age 69.5 years; 44% female; 97% White; 24% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 delivery modes of the same intervention; Groups: (a) access to a Web-based intervention that consisted of individualized tailored exercise planning, self-monitoring of respiratory symptoms and exercise, and personalized reinforcement and feedback for exercising, (b) face-to-face delivered intervention (same as group a)	PA; COPD symptom management	6 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	SCT	Self-reported frequency and duration of exercise; 6-minute walk test	Both groups showed significant improvements in self-reported exercise time; Web-based group significantly improved distance covered in the 6-minute walk test when compared to the face-to-face group
Pellegrini et al, 201270	N = 51 overweight/obese adults; mean age 44.2 years; 86.3% female; 88% White; 24% attrition	Three-arm trial comparing intervention delivery methods; Groups: (a) access to a Website where participants uploaded activity data collected by an energy monitoring armband, received instant self-monitoring feedback from uploaded data, and received weekly individualized feedback on progress, (b) access to Website (same as group a) plus in-person meetings, (c) in-person meetings only	PA; weight loss	6 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire	All groups significantly increased PA; no difference between groups
Pressler et al, 201071	N = 140 German employees of an automobile company; mean age 48 years; 11% female; race NR; 45% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) Website access with structured exercise prescriptions and weekly goal-setting activities, (b) Website access without structured exercise prescriptions or goal-setting activities	PA; cardiovascular risk	12 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Pedometers	No improvement in PA for either group
Richardson et al, 200772	N = 35 individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes; age range 38–71 years; 57% female; 77% White; 14% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based goal-setting pedometer interventions; Groups: (a) lifestyle goals targeting step counts, (b) structured goals targeting 10 minute step bouts	PA (step counts)	6 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	HBM	Pedometers	Both groups significantly increased step counts; no difference between groups
Rovniak et al, 200573	N = 61 sedentary adult women; mean age 20.2 years; 100% female; 82% White; 18% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 types of email messages to promote PA; Groups: (a) high fidelity SCT emails, (b) low fidelity SCT emails	PA (Walking)	12 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	SCT	Self-reported walking; PA logs	No improvement in PA for either group
Steele et al, 2007, 200974,75	N = 192 Australian adults; mean age 38.7 years; 83% female; race reported as predominately White; 17% attrition	Three-arm trial comparing 3 intervention delivery methods of the same educational content; Groups: (a) weekly face-to-face intervention delivery from study staff, (b) Internet delivered intervention via weekly educational modules and emails (same contents as face-to-face group) and 2 additional face-to-face meetings with study staff, (c) Internet-delivered intervention only	PA	12 weeks; outcome measurements assessed immediately following intervention and at 2 and 5 months postintervention	SCT	Active Australia Questionnaire	All groups improved PA at all assessment periods; no difference between the groups
Tate et al, 200176	N = 91 overweight healthy hospital employees; mean age 40.9 years; 89% female; 84% White; 22% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based programs; Groups: (a) access to Website that consisted of self-monitoring applications and basic information on diet and PA (Internet education group), (b) access to Website (same as group a) and weekly behavioral therapy emails that consisted of weight loss lessons and feedback on progress	Weight loss; PA	6 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire	Significant increase in PA for both groups at 3 and 6 months; no difference between groups
Tate et al, 200377	N = 92 overweight adults at risk for type 2 diabetes; mean age 48.5 years; 90% female; 89% White; 16% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based delivery methods: Groups: (a) access to Website that consisted of tutorials on weight loss/PA, tip sheets, and links to other Internet resources, (b) access to Website (same as group a) plus email counseling	Weight loss; PA	12 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire	No change in energy expenditure (PA)
Touger-Decker et al, 201078	N = 137 workplace employees; mean age 46.5 years; 6.6% female; 46% White (54% reported as “non-White”; 18% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 intervention delivery methods of the same educational content: (a) in-person delivered education sessions, (b) Internet-delivered education sessions	PA; weight loss; cardiovascular risk	12 weeks; outcome measurements assessed immediately following intervention and at 14 weeks postintervention	NR	IPAQ	Both groups significantly increased PA at 12 weeks; at the 26 week postbaseline follow-up, participants in both groups maintained significant postbaseline increases in PA
van Genugten et al, 201279	N = 539 overweight Dutch adults; mean age 47.8 years; 69% female; race NR; 67% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) access to a computer-tailored Website to prevent weight gain that consisted of 4 education modules, (b) access to generic Website that consisted of 3 modules with generic information to prevent weight gain	PA, dietary intake; weight loss	6 months; outcome measurements assessed at 1 month and 6 months	Self-regulation Theory, TPB, Precaution Adoption Process Model	The Short Questionnaire to Access Health-Enhancing Physical Activity	Both groups significantly decreased PA over the duration of the intervention; no difference between groups
Vandelanotte et al, 201280	N = 863 Australian adults; mean age 52.4 years; 60.7% female; race NR; 66% attrition	Three-arm trial evaluating whether participants’ preference of message delivery would influence PA outcomes of a Web-based program; Groups: (a) text-based messages, (b) video-based message, (c) text and video-based messages	PA	1 month; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	TPB; TTM	Active Australia Survey	All groups significantly increased PA; no association among individual preferences for delivery methods and PA outcomes
Wanner et al, 200981	N = 1531 German adults; mean age 43.7 years; 74.9% female; race NR; 56% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions: Groups: (a) access to Active Online Website that consisted of self-paced educational modules and individually tailored feedback, (b) nontailored Website with generic information on how to increase PA	PA	13 months; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	TTM	Short 4-item questionnaire (not specified); accelerometers	Both groups significantly increased PA at 6 weeks and 6 months; no changes at 13 months from baseline
Watson et al, 201282	N = 70 overweight adults; mean age 42.0 years; 84% female; 76% White; 11% attrition	Two-arm trial comparing 2 Web-based interventions; Groups: (a) access to Website with a computer-animated virtual coach that delivered individually tailored messages, upload pedometer data, (b) access to pedometer company Website to upload pedometer steps and view graphs	PA	12 weeks; no delay between intervention and outcome measurements	NR	Pedometers; 7-Day PAR	No change in step counts or PA levels for either group

Abbreviations: PA, physical activity; NR, not reported; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; SCT, Social Cognitive Theory; TTM, Transtheoretical Model; TPB, Theory of Planned Behavior; HBM, Health Belief Model; 7-Day PAR, Seven-Day Physical Activity Recall; IPAQ, International Physical Activity Questionnaire; SE, Self-efficacy Theory; SEM, Social Ecological Model; PMT, Protection Motivation Theory.