Wearable Device and Self-Regulation Strategies to Promote Physical Activity Among Children With Cancer: A Pilot Study

Summary

This is a clinical trial that tested whether a 12-week exercise program using smart wristbands and personalized goal-setting could help children with cancer become more active, feel more confident about exercising, and improve their quality of life.

The study included 72 children and teenagers (ages 6-18) receiving cancer treatment at two hospitals in China. They were divided into two groups:

Intervention group (33 children): Used a smart wristband to track daily steps, followed a personalized exercise plan, and received weekly guidance.

Control group (39 children): Continued with usual care (no special exercise program).

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does the exercise program help children with cancer move more and sit less;
2. Can it boost their confidence to stay active and improve their physical and emotional well-being?

Conditions

• Cancer

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Control group (placebo)

Children in the control group received routine health education, which included cancer-related treatment, care, and general health education (e.g., treatment-related, diet, and exercise) without systematic PA health education. Every four weeks, knowledge related to sports activities, the harms of insufficient physical activity, and the benefits of increasing physical activity were pushed through the WeChat platform. During the hospitalization of the child patient, they can voluntarily participate in the activities organized by social workers.

BEHAVIORAL

In-Hospital Program

Researchers will conduct a comprehensive evaluation for each pediatric patient, including: * Disease status and clinical characteristics * Patient and family knowledge regarding physical activity (PA) * Availability of social support systems

BEHAVIORAL

In-Hospital Program

Based on assessment findings, two structured educational sessions (20-30 minutes each) will be delivered, covering: * Disease-specific knowledge and PA guidelines * Practical strategies for safe exercise (e.g., intensity adjustment, injury prevention) * Interactive demonstrations of age-appropriate movement techniques

BEHAVIORAL

In-Hospital Program

Patients will co-develop personalized PA plans using the six-step self-regulation framework from the ITHBC (Integrative Theory of Health Behavior Change), including: * Short/long-term goal formulation * Progress monitoring tools * Barrier problem-solving protocols

BEHAVIORAL

Post-Discharge Program

Patients will perform PA 3-5 times weekly (20-30 minutes/session) aligned with individualized goals, adhering to oncology-specific safety guidelines

BEHAVIORAL

Post-Discharge Program

Mondays: Curated PA educational content (e.g., home-based exercise videos, fatigue management tips) will be disseminated via the WeChat platform. Sundays: Scheduled telehealth check-ins with patients and caregivers to: * Review PA adherence and experiential feedback * Address knowledge gaps through tailored coaching * Reinforce behavior change techniques (e.g., self-monitoring logs)

BEHAVIORAL

Post-Discharge Program

Regular monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to assess PA outcomes: comprehensive evaluations will identify barriers (e.g., treatment-related fatigue) and guide real-time adjustments to the exercise plan based on the patient's physical condition and performance. To enhance adherence, families will collaboratively set alarm reminders for PA sessions, and caregivers will be invited to supervise daily activities.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Ke Liu

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

SEQUENTIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

6 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-07-10

Primary Completion

2024-07-30

Completion

2024-12-25

Countries

• China

Study Locations