Facebook app helping people exercise

Local researchers are turning to social media to help people who don’t have the motivation to exercise.

New Facebook apps are being developed for adults and one in particular for mums with babies.

Study participants wear pedometers and then head to Facebook to form teams, swap results and compete.

“Our initial tests showed that users increased their physical activity by three hours per week,” said UniSA researcher Dr Carol Maher.

It works on a basic premise – no one wants to be seen as the laziest person in the group.

“Facebook is enormously popular now and we’re wondering whether we can use that to improve people’s health,” Maher said.

For busy mum Alison Greenham, the app is a winner.

“It’s much easier to do it by yourself but still have the competition.”

Anyone interested in taking part in the study can contact Dr Maher on (08) 8302 0963 or via email at carol.maher@unisa.edu.au.