Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to choose one of the three Big Goals? I’d like to work on all three at the same time.

It’s understandable that people might want to make changes in their physical activity level, their consumption of fruits and vegetables and their choices of fats and carbohydrates all at the same time. However, behavioral scientists have consistently observed that it’s easier for people to change one behavior than it is to change multiple behaviors all at once. One of the basic principles underlying Project Alive! is that behavior change occurs in small steps. And it’s easier to take small steps one at a time in one area of behavior. But, being successful in changing one type of behavior will provide you will the skills and confidence that you can change other behaviors as well.

Can I switch the Big Goal I choose to work on?

Yes, Project Alive! will allow you to change Big Goals during the first two weeks of the program. You will also be able to read the Health Notes for all of the Big Goals throughout the program.

Will I lose weight with Project Alive?

You may or may not lose weight by committing to the small step goals suggested by Project Alive!. Changing eating habits and physical activity behaviors is crucial for weight loss, and Project Alive! will encourage you to change those behaviors, but not for the purpose of weight loss. Rather, the purpose of Project Alive! is a healthier, more energetic you. It aims to achieve this purpose by helping you make healthier dietary and physical activity choices.

I don’t want to be in the Control Group. Why is it important to have a Control Group?

Until now, the effectiveness of Project Alive! has not been tested in the most rigorous scientific way possible, which is a randomized controlled trial. The only way we can know for sure that Project Alive! works is to have a big group of people, all of whom are essentially like each other, and then randomly (50-50 chance, like tossing a coin) select who will receive the intervention and who will not. Doing this allows us to compare the changes in diet and physical activity in the two groups without having to worry about why some people would choose to make changes while others would not. So, please, bear with us and complete all of the study questionnaires. You will be able to receive the intervention messages in the not too distant future.

Can I share my Project Alive! e-mails with friends or family?

Yes, you can do this by simply forwarding the messages, or by forwarding the screener questionnaire so that your friends or family can formally enroll in the program. However, you will not be able to share these e-mails with another Regional KP employee whose department is randomized to the Control Group. This ensures that we will not compromise the scientific validity of our study.

Can I receive the Project Alive! e-mails at home?

Yes, you can. Simply give us your home e-mail address on your enrollment form.

How do I know my supervisor or co-workers will not be able to see what I am doing in Project Alive?

We understand that privacy is a critical issue and are taking every precaution to ensure that your personal information will not be revealed to anybody outside the study. Because e-mail communications may be monitored by individuals with system administrator rights, we can not guarantee that your participation in Project Alive! will not become known. However, all of your messages are encrypted and none of the information you provide is stored with any personal identifying information. Also, you e-mail address will only be used for the delivery of Project Alive! messages and will not be shared with anybody else.

How do I complete the diet and physical activity screeners of I don’t remember exactly what I eat and what activities I do?

Nobody remembers exactly what they ate or what physical activities they did over any length of time longer than a day or so. Just try to estimate the foods you usually eat and the physical activities you usually do. Don’t try to think too hard about each question; just give your best guess and move on to the next item.

How do I close or save the Project Alive! email messages once I have submitted my answers?

When you submit your responses, your answers are transmitted and saved on the Project Alive! server, and your personal Project Alive! Webpage opens up in your browser. If you go back to your email in-box, the Project Alive! message will still be open. If you try to close it, you will get a choice: cancel, delete, or continue. If you choose “delete” the message will be closed but the original message will still be in your in-box.

^{Questions concerning Project Alive!}