What this means
This trial will compare different kinds of text messages to see which ones help adults take more steps each day. It has not reported results yet, so we do not know if the messages work.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the registry listing.
- Status
- Recruiting
- Who can join
- Ages 40 and over
- Where
- 1 site, including Michigan
The science
- Registered title
- Motivating Activity Through Text Communications - Helping Adults Increase Movement
- Trial ID
- NCT07593677 ↗
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Study type
- interventional
- Conditions
- Physical Inactivity, Aging, Cognitive Ability, Behavior Change
- What is tested
- Text Messaging Intervention
- Sponsor
- University of Michigan
- Ages
- 40 Years to no maximum
- Dates
- First posted May 18, 2026 · updated Jul 31, 2026
Registry summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effect of different types of text messages on physical activity levels of middle-aged and older adults and to determine whether these messages are effective in adults age 40 and older who are engaging in less than 90 minutes per week of moderate or higher intensity physical activity. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Which types of motivational messages show the greatest effects on changes in daily step counts in a 3-month precision text messaging intervention?
- What are the effects of personalized text messages on automatic affective evaluations, habit strength (experienced automaticity), exercise identity, working memory capacity, and processing speed?
Participants will:
- Wear a Fitbit activity tracker continuously for 3 months and are encouraged to continue wearing it through 6 months.
- Wear an activPAL activity monitor on their thigh for 7-day assessment periods at the beginning of the study, at 3 months, and at 6 months.
- Complete 3 cognitive assessments ("brain games") per day on their smartphone during the 7-day assessment periods at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.
- Be asked to set goals to increase their daily steps over the first 3 months of the study.
- Receive up to 4 motivational text messages per day for 3 months to encourage physical activity.
- Keep study-related apps (Fitbit app, AIM app, MetricWire app) open in the background on their smartphone.
- Complete questionnaires at the beginning of the study, at 3 months, and at 6 months
Sites (1)
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States