Integrating an exercise specialist supported by mHealth technology to increase exercise and physical activity adherence in a paediatric Complications from Excess Weight Service (MOTIVATE-CEW): A feasibility study

Davies, AP ORCID: 0000-0002-9006-5881, Hesketh, KL, Apperley, LJ, Clarke, E, Crozier, A ORCID: 0000-0002-5444-397X, Russon, C, Sprung, VS ORCID: 0000-0002-2666-4986, Jones, H ORCID: 0000-0001-8282-1459, Kinnafick, F, Senniappan, S and Cocks, M ORCID: 0000-0003-1671-8714 (2026) Integrating an exercise specialist supported by mHealth technology to increase exercise and physical activity adherence in a paediatric Complications from Excess Weight Service (MOTIVATE-CEW): A feasibility study. Archives of Disease in Childhood. ISSN 0003-9888

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Abstract

Objectives: Assess the feasibility of embedding an exercise specialist-led, mHealth-supported physical activity and exercise intervention (MOTIVATE-CEW) into a UK Complications from Excess Weight (CEW) service.

Design: Feasibility, single-site, parallel-group randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Participants were recruited from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital (AHCH) CEW service.

Patients: Young people (12–18 years) receiving care from the AHCH CEW service.

Interventions: Participants were randomised 1:1 to usual care or usual care and intervention (MOTIVATE-CEW). MOTIVATE-CEW participants codesigned a 3-month, home-delivered, personalised progressive physical activity programme supported by virtual counselling sessions from an exercise specialist and biofeedback from wearable technologies.

Main outcome measures : The primary outcomes were recruitment rate, retention and adherence to purposeful exercise. Exploratory clinical data on effectiveness were collected at baseline and post-intervention (3 months).

Results: n=72 young people aged over 12 years were registered with the AHCH CEW service and approached to participate. n=25 were ultimately randomised (age 15±1; 52% female; 84% white), giving a recruitment rate of 27%. Retention at 3 months was 88%. Over the 3-month intervention, heart rate monitor data suggested MOTIVATE-CEW participants completed more exercise sessions (MOTIVATE-CEW 2±2 sessions/week; usual care 0±0 sessions/week; d=1.04) and exercised for longer (MOTIVATE-CEW 80±102 min/week; usual care 8±20 min/week; d=0.99) than usual care. At 3 months, 33% of MOTIVATE-CEW participants were still exercising compared with 8% in usual care.

Conclusions: The MOTIVATE-CEW intervention showed promising effects on exercise behaviour. Good reach and data availability suggest the study design could be feasible within future trials.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Obesity; Adolescent Health; Endocrinology; Technology; Paediatrics; Adolescent Health; Endocrinology; Obesity; Paediatrics; Technology; 3213 Paediatrics; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 3202 Clinical Sciences; Clinical Research; Cardiovascular; Prevention; Behavioral and Social Science; Clinical Trials and Supportive Activities; Health Services; Physical Activity; Telehealth; Comparative Effectiveness Research; 6.7 Physical; 6.6 Psychological and behavioural; 3.1 Primary prevention interventions to modify behaviours or promote wellbeing; 1103 Clinical Sciences; 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine; 1117 Public Health and Health Services; Pediatrics; 3202 Clinical sciences; 3213 Paediatrics
Subjects:	R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	BMJ
Date of acceptance:	3 February 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	26 March 2026
Date Deposited:	25 Mar 2026 13:19
Last Modified:	26 Mar 2026 00:50
DOI or ID number:	10.1136/archdischild-2025-329092
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28292

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