Texting program aims to get midlife adults off the couch
NCT ID NCT04849052
First seen Sep 02, 2026 · Last updated Sep 03, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests a 12-week text message program called MASTERY, designed to help adults aged 45 to 64 increase physical activity and reduce stress. Participants receive weekly interactive text sessions and brief phone calls from trainers to set goals and learn stress-reduction techniques. The study compares this program to a control group that gets basic texts and check-ins. Researchers measure changes in moderate-to-vigorous activity using accelerometers at the start, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- A 12-week interactive text message program with weekly two-way sessions and brief trainer calls to promote physical activity and stress reduction.
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, low-cost way to help midlife adults become more active and manage stress, potentially reducing long-term health risks.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study, so results may not apply broadly. The program depends on participants engaging with texts and calls, and it may not produce lasting changes in activity.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1
The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.
- Participants
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116 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2021
- Finished
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Sep 2024
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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45 to 64 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Midlife status (age 45-64 at enrollment). 2. Low baseline physical activity (≤150 minutes/week of MVPA\]) as initially self-reported via the well-validated IPAQ and then confirmed via accelerometer after 7 days of wear. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Existing coronary artery disease (CAD; diagnosed via cardiac catheterization using standard coronary artery stenosis definitions or prior ACS). 2. An unrelated condition limiting physical activity (e.g., ambulation with a cane or walker, recent or planned surgery, or other condition such that ability to increase moderate to physical activity would be limited). 3. Participation in any other programs focused on cardiac prevention or well-being (e.g., cardiac rehabilitation). 4. A cognitive disturbance precluding participation or informed consent, assessed using a six-item screen7 designed to assess suitability for research participation. 5. Inability to speak/write fluently in English. 6. No access to a text message-capable phone.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.