# Time to Move: A 4‐Week Gamified Mobile Application Intervention to Promote Physical Activity in Secondary School Students

## TL;DR

A gamified mobile app called T2M helped secondary school students increase their physical activity and meet daily step and exercise goals more effectively than a control group.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that gamification in a mobile app can significantly boost physical activity levels in adolescents.

## Key findings

- The experimental group using T2M achieved 65% step goal completion and 68% exercise goal completion.
- The app led to higher PAQ-C scores in the experimental group compared to the control group.
- 70% of the experimental group continued exercising post-intervention, versus 27% in the control group.

## Abstract

This study aimed to help children and adolescents achieve their daily goal of 10,000 steps and daily exercise goals using the T2M (Time to Move) mobile gamification application. This study was a single‐blinding cluster‐randomised controlled trial conducted in a secondary school, including a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG). The study consisted of a 1‐week familiarisation, 4‐week intervention and impact assessment session. Twenty‐five students aged 12–14 years (CG, n = 13 am EG, n = 12) participated. T2M mobile application was developed to track the students' daily step counts and exercises and increase their physical activity levels. Newfeel Onwalk One Plus pedometer was chosen to track the number of steps. In EG, gamification elements (badges, points and leaderboards) were used for students to achieve the goals, whereas in CG, these elements were not included. 40% of those in the control group completed the step goals and 15% completed the exercise goals. In comparison, 65% of the experimental group completed the step goals (
p = 0.043 and
d = 0.40) and 68% completed the exercise goals (
p = 0.0001 and
d = 0.77). Furthermore, the PAQ‐C scores were higher in the experimental group (
p = 0.0114 and
d = 0.51). As a result of the impact assessment session, it was determined that 70% of the students in the experimental group and 27% of those in the control group continued to exercise. It is observed that the experimental group completed more of the 10,000 steps per day and daily exercise goals. These findings suggest that T2M mobile‐based gamification application can increase the physical activity level of children and adolescents.

The T2M mobile application uses gamification elements to promote physical activity among secondary school students.The experimental group achieved higher step (65%) and exercise (68%) goal completion rates compared to the control group (40% and 15%).A 4‐week intervention in the experimental group using the T2M gamified mobile application significantly increased students' daily step counts, exercise goal completion and PAQ‐C scores, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing physical activity and motivation among secondary school students.

The T2M mobile application uses gamification elements to promote physical activity among secondary school students.

The experimental group achieved higher step (65%) and exercise (68%) goal completion rates compared to the control group (40% and 15%).

A 4‐week intervention in the experimental group using the T2M gamified mobile application significantly increased students' daily step counts, exercise goal completion and PAQ‐C scores, indicating its effectiveness in enhancing physical activity and motivation among secondary school students.