Method

The Walking Dead: Is implementation of a zombie running game feasible among adult women?

Zakkoyya H. Lewis1, Elizabeth J. Lyons1,2

1Division of Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch,2Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, The University of Texas Medical

Branch

Background

•A majority of adults are not meeting physical activity recommendations to reduce their risk of cardiometabolic disease•Walking interventions are effective in improving short term physical activity however motivation for maintaining activity levels remains difficult•“Gamification” technology shows promise in increasing physical activity engagement through enjoyment•The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a gamified walking intervention (STEP and GO) among inactive overweight adults

•Overall, a gamified walking intervention is feasible in this population•Unanticipated phone calls were a major problem, non-cellular delivery methods may be a optimal choice•GPS to track activity was rarely used

Conclusions

•10 sedentary overweight adults were recruited into the 12-week pre-experimental trial•Participants were given an iPhone, headphones, armband, and gift cards to download music•The Zombies, Run! Game application, narrative-based activity game, was placed on the phones and used by participants•The RunKeeper app was placed on the phones in order for researches to remotely monitor activity•Activity was tracked by GPS or accelerometry on The Zombies, Run! App and the RunKeeper app•Feasibility was determined from utilization of technology features

Results

•Nine participants completed the study•The majority of participants found The Zombies, Run! Was an acceptable app•Scam and collection agencies continually disrupted participants•The accelerometer was predominantly used (N=7) while some used both accelerometry and GPS (N=4)•RunKeeper app was successful in objectively recording activity (328 of 338 usable entries)•RunKeeper was not used as a social network

Dr. Lyons is supported by a research career development award (K12HD052023: Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Program –BIRCWH) from ORWH, OD, NIAID, and NICHD (National Institutes of Health) and a beginning grant-in-aid from the American Heart Association (13BGIA17110021). Funding for the project was provided by a pilot grant from UTMB’s Claude D. Pepper OlderAmericans Independence Center and the Sealy Center on Aging. This study was conducted with the support of theInstitute for Translational Sciences, supported in part by a Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1TR000071) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Participants(N=9)

Age Height Weight BMI % Female % Minority

52.2 (12.8)

162.4 (5.9)

81.6 (12.4)

30.9 (3.6)

100 40%

Acceptability AssessmentStatement Agree

I think the game is user-friendly 6It was convenient for me to use the game application 6The game application encouraged me to view my steps 7I would like to continue using the game application 6Zombie chases encouraged me to go faster 9I liked the suspenseful narrative used in the game 5

Unanticipated Cell Phone Use

Phone No. Scam Calls

1 02 03 284 95 86 67 138 19 25

10 1

Music Downloaded to App

Phone No. Songs1 252 73 154 175 536 537 208 99 17

10 62