A new study is examining how personalised AI messages could help people to achieve their daily physical activity goals more effectively. The study is being conducted by the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Prevention, in collaboration with Salzburg Research and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Participants can receive gift cards worth 50 or 65 euros as a thank-you for taking part.

Many people would like to be more active, but they face obstacles in their daily lives. A lack of motivation, stress, time constraints, or uncertainty about how to initiate a start can prevent people from being active. This study examines whether short, personalised messages can encourage people to follow through on their plans for physical activity.

The messages are generated using an AI language model. They are based on information provided by the participants, such as their mood, motivation, stress level, the obstacles they face and their planned activities. The messages aim to motivate and provide practical support in everyday life. However, they are not a substitute for professional health or fitness advice.

Here’s how the study works

Participation lasts 30 days and takes place via the MORE app. The study consists of four parts:

1. Getting Started and Your Personal Training Plan
   First, participants fill out an introductory questionnaire. This covers their exercise habits, current activity level, attitudes towards physical activity, and trust in AI. They then create their own personalized training plan. They specify on which days they want to be active and when they would like to recieve a motivational message.
   
2. AI-Powered Support on Exercise Days
   On designated training days, participants complete a short questionnaire. They indicate how they feel, how motivated they are, which activities they plan to do, and what obstacles they might encounter. Based on this information, they receive a personalized message generated by AI. They then evaluate whether the message was appropriate, helpful, and motivating.
   
3. Evening Check-In and Weekly Updates
   In the evening, participants indicate whether they have completed their planned activity. They updated their exercise plan for the coming week once a week. This enables the study to track the evolution of motivation, daily life, and exercise behavior over several weeks.
   
4. Conclusion and Optional Interview
   At the end of the study, participants will be asked to complete a final questionnaire and provide feedback on their overall experience of reading AI-generated news stories. Some participants will also have the opportunity to take part in a video interview, which will last about one hour.

Who can participate

We are looking for people who want to become more active and are at least 18 years old. Participants must be fluent in English and have a moderate to mostly sedentary activity level, which will be assessed at the start of the study. They must also have a personal smartphone running the Android or iOS operating system. Participants must also have a device capable of video calls and be available for the full 30 days of the study.

Participation and Compensation

Participation is voluntary and can be stopped at any time. The research data will be processed in pseudonymized form. Everyone who completes the study will receive a €50 gift voucher as a thank you. Those who also participate in an optional follow-up interview will receive a gift voucher worth €65.

Upon registration, interested individuals will receive further information on how to install and use the MORE app.
To register: RELATE Physical Activity