E-mail communication helps exercise adherence

E-mail is a part of everyday life for the vast majority of Americans.
Because it is so prominent in most people's daily routine, it is also being used to promote wellness. Now, new research shows that email is an effective means of holding people accountable. A program called ALIVE offers individually tailored, small-step goals, a personal homepage with tips, educational materials, and tracking and simulation tools.

A team of researchers studied the results of a 16-week e-mail program. The program was given to 787 subjects, who received weekly emails. Results indicated that the recipients of ALIVE emails got an average of 28 more minutes per week of moderate activity, 21 more minutes of vigorous activity, walked more, and ate more fruits and vegetables as well as less saturated and unsaturated fats. Researchers conclude that email marketing is an effective way to leverage behavior change.

Source: Sternfield B, et al. (2009). Improving diet and fitness with ALIVE:
A worksite randomized trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(6), 475-483.

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