ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT06337708Updated Jul 17, 2026

Smart Walk: A Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention for African American Women

A Phase 2 interventional study of Smart Walk and Fitbit in Physical Activity, Exercise and Heart Diseases, sponsored by Arizona State University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 24 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-17.

Primary conditionHeart DiseasesRegistry: Motor ActivityReclassifiedWhy we changed it
Registry
Motor Activity — the first condition term the registry derived for this study.
ClinicalTrials.gg
Heart Diseases
Why
  1. Motor Activity is a broad heading, used only when no more specific condition is named.
  2. The study's listed conditions name Heart Diseases.
Confidence
High: the new condition is named in the study's own listed conditions. Of 351 hand-checked studies reclassified this way, 68% were exactly right and 84% in the right disease family; the registry's first term was right for 5% (measured 2026-10-21). How we classify →
Wrong?
Tell us the study's main condition →

Sponsored by Arizona State University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Prevention

From the registry’s dates

  • Started Apr 2024; still recruiting 2 years 7 months later.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
210
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
24 Years to 65 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to test a culturally tailored, smartphone-delivered intervention designed to increase physical activity and reduce risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes among African American women.

Read the detailed description

This study addresses major public health concerns among African American women: physical inactivity and cardiometabolic disease risk.

African American women experience a high burden of cardiometabolic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Regular aerobic physical activity is an established behavior to prevent and treat these conditions. Yet, the many African American women are insufficiently active, with only 27-40% meeting national aerobic physical activity guidelines.

This study will test the efficacy of Smart Walk, a culturally tailored, theory-based smartphone-delivered intervention designed to increase physical activity and improve cardiometabolic disease risk factors among African American women. In a 12-month trial, participants will be randomly assigned to either the Smart Walk intervention or a Fitbit-only comparison arm for an active 4-month intervention period, followed by an 8-month minimal contact follow-up period.

Specific Aims:

  1. Test the effects of Smart Walk to increase physical activity and promote adherence to national aerobic physical activity guidelines; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group.
  2. Test the effects of Smart Walk to improve cardiometabolic risk factors; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group.
  3. Compare cost and cost effectiveness of the two intervention groups from a societal perspective.
  4. Examine if protocol adherence predicts outcomes and potential mediation and moderation of intervention effects on physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes.
02

Conditions studied

  • Physical Activity
  • Exercise
  • Heart Diseases
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Physical Inactivity

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Keywords

  • mHealth
  • women's health
  • health equity
  • African American women
  • Black women
  • exercise
  • physical activity
  • heart disease
  • diabetes
03

In context

Heart Diseases Reclassified

2,135 studies on the registry are indexed under Heart Diseases; 252 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 210 is above the median of 129 across 931 interventional studies indexed under Heart Diseases.

Browse Heart Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

Arizona State University is the lead sponsor of 238 studies on the registry; 42 are open to participants now.

Compared within Heart Diseases, this study's primary condition as ClinicalTrials.gg classifies it; the registry's first condition term is Motor Activity. The counts are of registry records indexed under each term, refreshed daily. How we classify →

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
24 Years to 65 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Self-reported African American/Black female
  • Aged of 24-65 years
  • Insufficiently Active (\< 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week as measured by Exercise Vital Sign Questionnaire)
  • > 25 kg/m2
  • English speaking and reading
  • Ownership of a smartphone with the ability to download applications (i.e., apps)
  • Ownership of a smartphone with the ability to receive text messages
  • Willingness to receive a physical activity intervention delivered through their smartphone
  • Willingness to include their first name or create an alias to be used on their profile page on the Smart Walk app

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Plans to relocate out of Phoenix area in next 12 months
  • Endorsing an item on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), unless a doctor's note for study participation in provided
  • Resting systolic blood pressure greater than 180 mmHG and/or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 120 mmHG , as assessed at baseline or at any other study assessment
  • Self-reported participation in another diet or weight loss study at screening
  • Pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 12 months
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
210 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Smart Walk

    Participants will receive a culturally tailored smartphone-delivered physical activity intervention.

    Behavioral: Smart Walk

  • Active comparator
    Fitbit

    Participants will receive a Fitbit Inspire 3 activity monitor.

    Behavioral: Fitbit

Interventions

  • BehavioralSmart Walk

    Smart Walk is a culturally tailored, Social Cognitive Theory-based multi-component smartphone delivered physical activity (PA) promotion intervention that delivered through the Smart Walk application, virtual physical activity coaching, and text messages. The Smart Walk smartphone application includes four key features: 1) personal profile pages, 2) culturally relevant multi-media physical activity promotion modules, 3) discussion boards, and 4) physical activity self-monitoring/tracking feature that integrates with Fitbit activity monitors for participants to track their daily, weekly, and monthly activity. Virtual physical activity coaches will actively engage and facilitate group-based dialogue among participants on the app discussion boards and provide individualized, one-on-one PA coaching via telephone or commercially available app-based video teleconferencing software (i.e., FaceTime, Zoom, Google hangouts).

  • BehavioralFitbit

    This intervention group will receive a Fitbit activity monitor and be encouraged to use the commercially available device to increase physical activity.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Participants will wear wrist-worn ActiGraph GT9X Link Activity monitors the activity monitor on their non-dominant wrist during all waking hours for 7 consecutive days to provide an assessment of usual activity

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  2. Change in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change in cardiorespiratory fitness from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    A modified Balke treadmill protocol will be used to estimate maximal aerobic capacity (i.e., VO2 peak).

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  2. Change in aortic pulse wave velocity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    A measure of aortic stiffness and will be assessed using SphygmoCor XCEL system using validated methodology.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  3. Change in body weight from baseline to 4- and 12-months.

    Measured in kilograms using an electronic scale

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  4. Change in body mass index from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Calculated using the formula: weight (in kilograms) / height (in meters)squared

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  5. Change in waste circumference from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Measured in centimeters

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  6. Change in blood pressure (mmHG) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be assessed using electronic sphygmomanometer following 5-min rest

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  7. Change in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Measured in serum using a commercial multiplex immunoassay platform; blood will be drawn after a 10 hour fast.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  8. Change in interleukin 6 (IL-6) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Measured in serum using a commercial multiplex immunoassay platform; blood will be drawn after a 10 hour fast.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  9. Change in interleukin 10 (IL-10) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Measured in serum using a commercial multiplex immunoassay platform; blood will be drawn after a 10 hour fast.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  10. Change in interleukin 15 (IL-15) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Measured in serum using a commercial multiplex immunoassay platform; blood will be drawn after a 10 hour fast.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  11. Change in fasting blood glucose glucose from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Plasma glucose assessed after a 10 hour fasting blood draw. Measured using an automated chemistry analyzer.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  12. Change in serum insulin from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Serum insulin collected after a 10 hour fasting blood draw.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  13. Change in serum lipids (mg/DL) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C will be assessed

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  14. Change in insulin sensitivity (µIU/mL) from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed by calculating homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) scores as: glucose (mg/dl) x insulin (μU/ml)/405.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  15. Change in exercise self-efficacy from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed by the 12-item Exercise Self-Efficacy survey (Sallis et al.1987). The range of possible scores for this measure is 1-5, with higher scores indicating higher levels of physical activity self-efficacy.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  16. Change in self-regulation for physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed by the 10- item Self-Regulation Scale from the Health Beliefs Survey (Anderson-Bill 2006). This scale assesses the use of behavioral strategies to incorporate physical activity into daily activities (i.e., take stairs instead of elevator, walking instead of driving when running errands). The range of possible scores for this measure is 1-5, with higher scores indicating higher levels of physical activity self-regulation.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  17. Change in social support for physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed by the Social Support for Exercise survey developed by Sallis et al (1987). This scale assesses social support from family support (10-items, with a possible range of scores from 10-50) and friends (8-items, with a possible score range from from 8-40). Higher scores indicate greater levels of social support.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  18. Change in outcome expectations for physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed using the 9-item Outcome Expectation Scale for Exercise scale, developed by Resnick (2000). The range of possible scores for this measure is 1-5, with higher scores indicating more positive expectancies associated with physical activity engagement.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

  19. Change in behavioral capability for physical activity from baseline to 4- and 12-months

    Assessed using a 6-item scale developed by the research team in previous research. The range of possible scores for this measure is 1-6, with higher scores indicating higher levels of behavioral capability of physical activity.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline, 4-months, 12-months

Other outcomes

  1. Treatment acceptance

    Survey assessing acceptance, feasibility, and consumer satisfaction of intervention.

    Time frame: Assessed at 4-months and 12-months

  2. Protocol Adherence

    Fitbit wear, app utilization, and adherence to physical activity coaching session protocols will be assessed as moderators.

    Time frame: Assessed at 4-months and 12-months

  3. Program costs

    Costs borne by the program, including Fitbit activity monitors, Smart Walk app development, and all personnel salaries/hourly wages.

    Time frame: Assessed at 4-months and 12-months

  4. Participant costs

    Participant costs associated with study participation, including time spent using the Smart Walk app, time spent in physical activity coaching, and cellular phone data charges over their plan limit.

    Time frame: Assessed at 4-months and 12-months

  5. Cost-effectiveness

    Cost effectiveness will be evaluated by combining the mean total cost per participant with effectiveness (baseline to 12-month changes in minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). We will calculate the incremental cost effectiveness ratios (ICER) for the Smart Walk intervention compared to the Fitbit comparison arm.

    Time frame: Assessed at 4-months and 12-month

  6. Objectively-measured home neighborhood characteristics

    GIS mapping and computer vision techniques will be used to assess macro-scale and micro-scale home neighborhood environment characteristics of participants.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline

  7. Subjectively-measured Neighborhood environment walkability

    Subjectively-measured Neighborhood Environment Walkability will be measured using the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale (NEWS). This measure includes 43 items and assesses the following environmental characteristics: residential density (6-items, possible range of scores range 1-5), land use mix-diversity (22 items, possible range of scores range 1-5), street connectivity (2 items, possible range of scores range 1-4), walking/cycling facilities (6 items, possible range of scores range 1-4), aesthetics (4 items, possible range of scores 1-4), pedestrian/traffic safety (3 items, possible range of scores 1-4). Higher scores indicate greater walkability.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline

  8. Race-related Stress

    Race-related stress, as a result of experiencing individual, cultural and institutional racism, will be assessed using the 22-item Index of Race-Related Stress-Brief survey. This survey has a possible score range of 0 to 88, with higher scored indicating greater stress as a result of experiencing racism.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline

  9. Perceived Structural Racism

    Structural racism will be assessed using the 20-item Perceived Structural Racism Scale. This scale has a possible scoring range of 20-120 with higher scores indicating greater levels of perceived structural racism.

    Time frame: Assessed at baseline

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Apr 2024 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Mar 2028, 47 months after the start.

Of 28 phase 2 interventional studies under Heart Diseases, half reached primary completion within 21 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 49. This study's planned 47 months is above that.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jan 29, 2024
First posted
Mar 29, 2024
StartActual
Apr 8, 2024
Primary completionEst.
Mar 31, 2028
CompletionEst.
Mar 31, 2029
Last update
Jul 17, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jul 17, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT06337708
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 29, 2024
Start date
Apr 8, 2024
Primary completion
Mar 31, 2028 (estimated)
Completion
Mar 31, 2029 (estimated)
Last update
Jul 17, 2026

Study contacts

Rodney P Joseph, PhD
Contact
rodney.joseph@asu.edu
602-496-0772

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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