{
  "abstract": "Introduction Physical exercise has been used to assist smoking cessation, but supervised programmes are bounded by limited scalability and generalisability. Mobile instant messaging (MIM) offers a scalable platform for delivering exercise support with minimal supervision. We assessed the effectiveness of MIM-supported brief physical exercise intervention on smoking cessation.Methods In this two-arm, parallel, cluster randomised controlled trial, we recruited daily smokers aged 18 years or older from 70 community sites in Hong Kong from June to October 2022. Sites were randomised (1:1) to either the intervention group (n=492) or control group (n=539). Brief cessation advice, physical exercise instructions and MIM-based practice reminders were offered to the intervention group for 3 months. The primary outcome was biochemically validated 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at 6 months.Results Of the 1031 participants (80.9% male, mean age 44.2 years), 59.8% were followed up at 6 months. Biochemically validated abstinence rates at 6 months were non-significantly higher in the intervention than the control group (10.4% vs 9.1%; risk ratio (RR) 1.14, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.66, p=0.48). Self-reported 7-day PPA was 21.9% and 19.5%, respectively (RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.43, p=0.32). Weekly practice of handgrip and elastic band exercises in the intervention group declined significantly over 6 months (from 10.3 min to 2.5 min and from 9.4 min to 0.8 min; p<0.001). The proportion of participants with moderate to high physical activity levels was quite similar between groups at 6 months (41.1% vs 39.9%; RR 1.05, 95% CI 0.82 to 1.35, p=0.70).Conclusion MIM-supported brief physical exercise intervention did not significantly increase smoking abstinence or physical activity compared with brief cessation advice alone.Trial registration number NCT05430451.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China",
        "School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Sheng Zhi Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Meng Yao Li"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Ya Jie Li"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China",
        "Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore, Singapore"
      ],
      "name": "Tzu Tsun Luk"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Derek Yee Tak Cheung"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Agnes Yuen Kwan Lai"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Henry Sau Chai Tong"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Vienna Wai Yin Lai"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Tai Hing Lam"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China"
      ],
      "name": "Man Ping Wang"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Mobile instant messaging supported brief physical exercise intervention for smoking cessation: a community-based, cluster randomised controlled trial",
  "uid": "e75d2f7a-78fa-5631-a862-6e35ac0f0957"
}