Videos using different message strategies to promote the interruption of sedentary behavior in university students during online lectures - A pilot study

Anastasia Doré; Kristin Kalo; Lisa Schwab; Jennifer L Reichel; Laura Eisenbarth; Tilmann Strepp; Robin Jacob; Kira Enders; Stephan Letzel; Perikles Simon; Pavel Dietz; Thomas Kubiak; Sebastian Heller

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1108154

Videos using different message strategies to promote the interruption of sedentary behavior in university students during online lectures - A pilot study

Front Public Health. 2023 Jul 27:11:1108154. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1108154. eCollection 2023.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
² Department of Sports Medicine, Disease Prevention and Rehabilitation, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
³ Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Medical Centre of the University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
⁴ Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

Abstract

Background: Sedentary behavior (SB) is highly prevalent among university students and has increased during COVID-19 pandemic. As SB is associated with negative health outcomes, appropriate prevention measures in the university setting are needed.

Objective: This pilot study aimed at investigating the effects of videos using different message strategies to interrupt SB in the collective of university students during online lectures.

Methods: During online lectures, university students (N = 96) were shown one of three videos on the interruption of SB. The videos differed in their message strategies with regard to evidence type (statistical vs. narrative) and vividness (static vs. animated images). Demographics, health variables (SB intentions, SB attitudes) and selected media reception variables (identification, homophily, counterarguing) were examined as possible influence factors on the interruption of SB evoked by watching the video.

Results: Approximately half of the students interrupted sedentary behavior during watching the videos and students of the older age group (cut-off: median = 22 years) interrupted SB significantly more often (p = 0.046). The interruption of SB was predicted by SB intentions (p < 0.05). Identification with characters significantly predicted the intentions to reduce SB (p < 0.001), with a large effect of the overall regression model (R²_corr = 0.47).

Conclusion: Considering the increased digitalization in general and restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic, videos seem to be a useful tool to interrupt SB among university students during online lectures. Narrative formats could facilitate the intention to reduce SB, which in turn could have a positive impact on the interruption of SB. However, further research on effective communication and message strategies is needed.

Keywords: health communication; narrative evidence; sedentary behavior; setting-based health promotion; student health; vividness.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Pandemics
Pilot Projects
Sedentary Behavior*
Students
Universities