Background Physical activity levels are known to decline following hospitalisation for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF). However, optimal physical activity promotion strategies are unclear. This study investigated the effect of a web-based application (ActivOnline) in promoting physical activity in young pwCF.

Methods Multicentre randomised controlled trial with assessor blinding and qualitative evaluation. People with CF (12–35 years) admitted to hospital for a respiratory cause were eligible and randomised to the 12-week ActivOnline intervention (AO) or usual care (UC). The primary outcome was change in device-based time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) from baseline to post-intervention. Follow-up was at 6 months from hospital discharge when qualitative evaluation was undertaken.

Results 107 participants were randomised to AO (n=52) or UC (n=55). Sixty-three participants (59%) contributed to the intention-to-treat analysis. Mean (SD) age was 21 (6) years (n=46, <18 years). At baseline, physical activity levels were high in both groups (AO 102 (52) vs UC 127 (73) min/day). There was no statistically significant difference in MVPA between groups at either timepoint (post-intervention mean difference (95% CI) −14 mins (−45 to 16)). Uptake of the intervention was low with only 40% (n=21) of participants accessing the web application.

Conclusion A web-based application, including individualised goal setting, real-time feedback and motivation for behavioural change, was no better than usual care at promoting physical activity in young pwCF following hospital discharge. High levels of baseline physical activity levels in both groups, and limited engagement with the intervention, suggest alternative strategies may be necessary to identify and support young pwCF who would benefit from enhanced physical activity.

Trial registration number ACTRN12617001009303, 13 July 13 2017.

Data are available on reasonable request. Data requests should, in the first instance, be addressed to Professor Anne Holland (anne.holland@monash.edu). Access to data will be subject to approval by the coordinating principal investigator and relevant Human Research Ethics Committee.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/thorax-2022-218702

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Data are available on reasonable request. Data requests should, in the first instance, be addressed to Professor Anne Holland (anne.holland@monash.edu). Access to data will be subject to approval by the coordinating principal investigator and relevant Human Research Ethics Committee.

Contributors Procured funding: CAW, AEH, KM, MM, NSC and PO’H. Conceptualisation and design: NSC, AEH and PO’H. Data acquisition: NSC, JD, BE, SR, JC, AN, BMB, JH, JRB, RL, RD, TD, AM, NW, JYTL and CM. Data analysis: NSC, AEH, KM and MM. Drafting manuscript: NSC and AEH. Critical review of manuscript: JD, BE, SR, JC, AN, BMB, JH, JRB, RL, RD, TD, AM, NW, P’OH, JYTL, CM, KM, MM and CAW. NSC and AEH are guarantors of this work.

Funding Funding for this trial was from a competitive UK Cystic Fibrosis Trust Strategic Research Centre grant award No: 008.

Competing interests NSC, AEH, KM, MM, PO’H and CAW were all named investigators on the grant which provided funding for this study.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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