Effect of a WhatsApp walking trial on daily steps among female Saudi Arabian university students

Authors

  • Juliann Saquib Sulaiman Al Rajhi University http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2572-0592
  • Homaidan T. Alhomaidan Qassim University
  • Abdulrahman Al-Mohaimeed Qassim University
  • Lujain Aljaghwani Qassim University
  • Raghad Al-Mohaimeed
  • Darren Alghadhiyah Qassim University
  • Raghad Altwijri Qassim University
  • Amal Lafi Alazmi Qassim University
  • Fatmah Ali Al-Mohaimeed Qassim University
  • Ghadah Saleh Alhamed Qassim University
  • Asma Abdullah Alsowiyan Qassim University
  • Ashwaq Mohammed Alharbi Qassim University
  • Nazmus Saquib Sulaiman Al Rajhi University

Keywords:

intervention, physical activity, university students, walking

Abstract

Objective: Physical inactivity in Saudi women is high, even among young women (60% of university students are physically inactive). We aimed to investigate the effect of a physical activity intervention on daily walking among female students at a Saudi university.

Methods: Two hundred and seven female students (mean age: 22.6 ± 1.3; body mass index: 24.6 ± 5.9) participated in a parallel-group randomized trial. The intervention group wore pedometers and received health-promotion messages for 12 weeks through WhatsApp®; the control group received a similar number of messages unrelated to health. Average daily steps and self-reported activity were assessed at baseline and after 3 months. Analysis followed an intention-to-treat approach. Group differences in average daily steps were assessed using a two (group) by 2 (time) ANOVA. F-tests for main effects and the interaction were evaluated; P < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: There was a significant group-by-time interaction, that is, the intervention group had a significantly higher change in daily steps compared to the control group (+576 vs. −525; F = 4.33, P = 0.04). Self-reported daily activity was not significantly different by group.

Conclusions: The intervention was effective at improving the number of daily steps in young women. Future studies could test this intervention among other student groups.

Author Biography

Juliann Saquib, Sulaiman Al Rajhi University

Assistant Professor, Family and Community Medicine

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Published

2023-03-01

How to Cite

Saquib, J., Alhomaidan, H. T. ., Al-Mohaimeed, A. ., Aljaghwani, L. ., Al-Mohaimeed, R. ., Alghadhiyah, D. ., Altwijri, R. ., Alazmi, A. L. ., Al-Mohaimeed, F. A. ., Alhamed, G. S. ., Alsowiyan, A. A. ., Alharbi, A. M. ., & Saquib, N. . (2023). Effect of a WhatsApp walking trial on daily steps among female Saudi Arabian university students. International Journal of Health Sciences, 17(2). Retrieved from https://pub.qu.edu.sa/index.php/journal/article/view/6343

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2023): Mar-Apr

Section

Original Paper

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