Physical Activity Level of Facebook Users

Abstract

Introduction: Interactions of Facebook users led to a study of the influence that users can exert on behavioral changes for a healthier life. Objective: To analyze the behavior of Facebook users in order to define the Users' Behavioral Patterns, by monitoring the practice of physical activities shared online, aided by a social competition among users, with the aim of combating sedentarism through the modern attraction of technology and gamification. Methods: A computational tool was developed to extract data from physical activity shared online. The tool, named FitRank, has permissions to access users' data. Tables and classifications were generated based on an analysis of the data in the database, using decision tree algorithms and descriptive statistical analysis. Results: users were classified according to sociodemographic data, and data on the creation of competitive rankings and the practice of physical activities, including the definition of the User's Behavioral Pattern. Conclusion: The study suggested the importance of technological innovations to combat sedentarism, in line with current social entertainment technologies to make them more enjoyable and motivating for the regular practice of physical activities and to provide a better quality of life. Level of Evidence II; Retrospective study.