Overview
Walking is widely recognized for its health benefits, yet many individuals struggle to meet the recommended daily step count. Mobile health (mHealth) applications are emerging as effective tools to encourage physical activity by tracking user movements and providing health services. However, the impact of different incentive structures within these apps on walking behavior has not been thoroughly examined.
Research Insights
Dr. Haruka Kato, a Junior Associate Professor at Osaka Metropolitan University, conducted a study to explore how incentive design influences walking behavior using the local mHealth application, HealthSmart-Senboku. This app, tailored for the residents and visitors of Senboku New-Town in Japan, offers unique features that convert daily step counts into digital rewards.
Incentive Features
- Users can exchange their daily walking steps for shopping coupons at selected local stores.
- Alternatively, they can opt for digital train tickets for travel on the Nankai Railway’s Senboku Line.
Study Findings
The study revealed significant results:
- Participants using the train ticket incentive increased their daily walking by an average of 626.2 steps over five months.
- Those opting for shopping coupon incentives walked an average of 715.2 steps more than non-users.
Dr. Kato stated, “HealthSmart-Senboku’s ticket exchange incentives effectively promote active travel.” The findings underscore the potential of mHealth applications to enhance both physical activity and public transportation usage, contributing to the development of Healthy New Towns through well-structured incentive systems.
Reference
Haruka Kato. Active travel effects of mHealth app that exchanges daily walking steps for digital train tickets: Quasi-experimental study using HealthSmart-Senboku. Journal of Transport & Health, 2025. doi: 10.1016/j.jth.2025.102126