# Efficacy of a novel web-based physical activity intervention designed to promote adherence to physical activity guidelines in adults with obesity

> **NIH NIH R56** · UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH · 2022 · $30,725

## Abstract

Project Title: Efficacy of a novel web-based physical activity intervention designed to promote adherence to
physical activity guidelines in adults with obesity
Funding organization: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Grant type: R01
Date submitted: Oct 2, 2021
Amount requested: $3,167,589
PI: Kariuki Jacob, PhD
Co-investigators: Lora E. Burke, PhD, MPH; Bethany Gibbs, PhD; Erick Erickson, PhD; Andrea Kriska.
Consultants: David Ogutu, BS
Project Summary/Abstract
 The National Guidelines recommend that all American adults achieve ≥150 min of moderate to vigorous
intensity physical activity weekly. Yet, adherence to the Guidelines is low, with only 24% of adults attaining the
recommended physical activity (PA). The low levels of PA increase the risk cardiometabolic disease, especially
among individuals with obesity. Although any increase in PA can reduce the risk, these individuals face complex
weight-related impediments including stigma, embarrassment, poor fitness, and low self-efficacy that reduce
their engagement in PA. To mitigate these barriers, web-based PA interventions have been developed, but their
efficacy is often limited by lack of behavioral coaching and generic content that does not address barriers
experienced by those with obesity. Our research team and others have reported that culturally diverse individuals
with obesity prefer PA programs that are convenient, fun to engage in, and feature people to whom they can
relate especially in body size, fitness level, and age. Yet, there is a paucity of PA interventions intentionally
designed to incorporate these preferences. In our prior work, we sought the input of individuals with
overweight/obesity to inform the development of a technology-based Physical Activity for The Heart (PATH)
intervention that leverages openly accessible platforms, such as YouTube, to provide workout videos that match
the specific preferences expressed in our formative studies and the extant literature. We have successfully beta
tested the PATH platform and have demonstrated excellent retention, intervention engagement and preliminary
efficacy in our 12-week feasibility studies. In this application, we propose to test the efficacy of PATH in promoting
adherence to the PA Guidelines in a diverse sample of inactive adults with obesity. Our long-term goal is to
deploy the PATH intervention as a scalable stand-alone program to increase access, reduce time commitment,
avoid weight-related stigma, and lessen the impact of unpredictable barriers to PA such as inclement weather
or pandemics like COVID-19. We will conduct a 12-month 2-group randomized controlled trial and equally
allocate 450 adults to one of the two intervention conditions: Path intervention or attention control. In Aim 1 we
will evaluate the efficacy of PATH for improving short- and long-term adherence to the PA Guidelines. In Aim 2
we will compare the effects of the PATH intervention on risk factors for CVD. In the final Aim, we wi...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10683805
- **Project number:** 1R56HL164737-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH
- **Principal Investigator:** Jacob Kigo Kariuki
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $30,725
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-09 → 2022-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10683805

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10683805, Efficacy of a novel web-based physical activity intervention designed to promote adherence to physical activity guidelines in adults with obesity (1R56HL164737-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10683805. Licensed CC0.

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