Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals

Abstract Despite widespread interest in integrating mobile health apps into primary care to prevent and manage physical inactivity-related health conditions, the effectiveness of these apps remains unclear. We quantified the effects of Active 10 (a goal setting and self-monitoring app developed by P...

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Main Authors: Dharani Yerrakalva, Samantha Hajna, Soren Brage, Simon J. Griffin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-08-01
Series:npj Digital Medicine
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01785-x
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author Dharani Yerrakalva
Samantha Hajna
Soren Brage
Simon J. Griffin
author_facet Dharani Yerrakalva
Samantha Hajna
Soren Brage
Simon J. Griffin
author_sort Dharani Yerrakalva
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Despite widespread interest in integrating mobile health apps into primary care to prevent and manage physical inactivity-related health conditions, the effectiveness of these apps remains unclear. We quantified the effects of Active 10 (a goal setting and self-monitoring app developed by Public Health England) on brisk and non-brisk walking using a single-group interrupted time-series analysis of individual-level data collected between July 2021 and January 2024. Among Active 10 users (n = 201,668 l; 51.4 ± 14.4 years; 75.4% women) brisk and non-brisk walking increased by 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9, 9.1; 73% above baseline) and 2.6 min/day (95% CI 2.4, 2.8; 9% above baseline), respectively, on the day of app download. Post-download, brisk and non-brisk walking decreased by 0.15 (95% CI −0.17, −0.13) and 0.06 (95% CI −0.08, −0.03) min/day/month, respectively, but remained above baseline. Our findings suggest that Active 10 may be effective in facilitating increases in brisk and non-brisk walking.
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spelling doaj-art-c0e5d17e48c64fd9a98569fe872ea43a2025-08-24T11:51:58ZengNature Portfolionpj Digital Medicine2398-63522025-08-01811910.1038/s41746-025-01785-xEvaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individualsDharani Yerrakalva0Samantha Hajna1Soren Brage2Simon J. Griffin3Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineDepartment of Health Sciences, Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock UniversityMRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, School of Clinical MedicineDepartment of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge School of Clinical MedicineAbstract Despite widespread interest in integrating mobile health apps into primary care to prevent and manage physical inactivity-related health conditions, the effectiveness of these apps remains unclear. We quantified the effects of Active 10 (a goal setting and self-monitoring app developed by Public Health England) on brisk and non-brisk walking using a single-group interrupted time-series analysis of individual-level data collected between July 2021 and January 2024. Among Active 10 users (n = 201,668 l; 51.4 ± 14.4 years; 75.4% women) brisk and non-brisk walking increased by 9.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9, 9.1; 73% above baseline) and 2.6 min/day (95% CI 2.4, 2.8; 9% above baseline), respectively, on the day of app download. Post-download, brisk and non-brisk walking decreased by 0.15 (95% CI −0.17, −0.13) and 0.06 (95% CI −0.08, −0.03) min/day/month, respectively, but remained above baseline. Our findings suggest that Active 10 may be effective in facilitating increases in brisk and non-brisk walking.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01785-x
spellingShingle Dharani Yerrakalva
Samantha Hajna
Soren Brage
Simon J. Griffin
Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
npj Digital Medicine
title Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
title_full Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
title_fullStr Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
title_short Evaluation of the NHS active 10 walking app intervention through time-series analysis in 201,688 individuals
title_sort evaluation of the nhs active 10 walking app intervention through time series analysis in 201 688 individuals
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01785-x
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AT simonjgriffin evaluationofthenhsactive10walkingappinterventionthroughtimeseriesanalysisin201688individuals