A Group-Based Walking Study to Enhance Physical Activity Among Older Adults: The Role of Social Engagement

2020 ◽  
pp. 016402752096361
Author(s):  
Yujun Liu ◽  
Margie E. Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Treatment Condition ◽  
Social Comparisons ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Group Members

Objectives. The aim of this study was to explore social engagement and social comparisons as mechanisms to increase physical activity among older adults. Methods. Participants (N = 60, mean age = 65.7) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. Participants in the treatment condition used the application to track their daily walking steps and interact via text messages with their group members for 4 weeks. Participants in the control group used the application only to track their own walking steps. Outcome variables included mean weekly steps, exercise self-efficacy, and social engagement. Results. The results revealed that participants in the experimental condition significantly increased their mean weekly steps and social engagement from the pretest to the posttest whereas the control group did not. These effects were maintained at the 1-month follow up. Discussion. The study expands our understanding of the motivational role of social engagement and social comparison in increasing PA among older adults.

scholarly journals WECHAT, WERUN: A GROUP-BASED WALKING STUDY TO ENHANCE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S142-S142
Author(s):  
Yujun Liu ◽  
Margie E Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Competition Condition ◽  
Post Test

Abstract The benefits of physical activity (PA) and social engagement for older adults are well established, yet the majority of adults over age 50 in the U.S. do not engage in regular exercise. We conducted a 4-week pre-post study with a one-month follow-up using a smart phone application called WeChat WeRun to explore the mechanisms of social engagement and competition to increase PA among older adults. Participants (N=40, mean age=65.7) were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. Participants in the activity competition condition used the WeRun to track their daily walking steps and interact via text with their group members for 4 weeks. The daily walking steps were displayed to the group and the participant with the highest daily steps in the group was indicated as the champion each day. Participants in the control group only used WeRun to track their own walking steps. Outcome variables included average weekly steps, exercise self-efficacy, and social engagement. The two-way repeated measures ANOVA results revealed that participants in the competition condition had higher average weekly steps and level of social engagement at the posttest, compared to those in the control group. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni corrections revealed that the intervention increased their average weekly steps and social engagement from pretest to post-test, while these outcomes did not change in the control group. The effects were maintained at the one-month follow up. Discussion will consider the motivational role of competition and social interactions in increasing PA among older adults.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Text Messaging as an Incentive to Maintain Physical Activity after Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6645
Author(s):  
Giulia Foccardi ◽  
Marco Vecchiato ◽  
Daniel Neunhaeuserer ◽  
Michele Mezzaro ◽  
Giulia Quinto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽  
Exercise Testing ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Stand Test ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Sit To Stand ◽  
Significant Difference

Although the efficacy of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is proven, the need to improve patients’ adherence has emerged. There are only a few studies that have investigated the effect of sending text messages after a CR period to stimulate subjects’ ongoing engagement in regular physical activity (PA). A randomized controlled pilot trial was conducted after CR, sending a daily PA text message reminder to an intervention group (IG), which was compared with a usual care control group (CG) during three months of follow-up. Thirty-two subjects were assessed pre- and post-study intervention with GPAQ, submaximal iso-watt exercise testing, a 30 s sit-to-stand test, a bilateral arm curl test, and a final survey on a seven-point Likert scale. A statistically significant difference in the increase of moderate PA time (Δ 244.7 (95% CI 189.1, 300.4) minutes, p < 0.001) and in the reduction of sedentary behavior time (Δ −77.5 (95% CI 104.9, −50.1) minutes, p = 0.004) was shown when the IG was compared with the CG. This was associated with an improvement in heart rate, blood pressure, and patients’ Borg rating on the category ratio scale 10 (CR10) in iso-watt exercise testing (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, only the IG did not show a worsening of the strength parameters in the follow-up leading to a change of the 30 s sit-to-stand test with a difference of +2.2 (95% CI 1.23, 3.17) repetitions compared to CG (p = 0.03). The telemedical intervention has been appreciated by the IG, whose willingness to continue with regular PA emerged to be superior compared to the CG. Text messages are an effective and inexpensive adjuvant after phase 2 CR that improves adherence to regular PA. Further studies are needed to confirm these results in a larger patient population and in the long term.

scholarly journals Impact of a Knowledge Translation Intervention on Physical Activity and Mobility in Older Adults (the Move4Age Study): Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Neil-Sztramko ◽  
Jenna Smith-Turchyn ◽  
Julie Richardson ◽  
Maureen Dobbins
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Knowledge Translation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Randomized Controlled

BACKGROUND The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (the Portal) was launched in 2014 as a knowledge translation (KT) tool to increase access to evidence-based health information. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to understand if and how dissemination of mobility information through the Portal impacts physical activity (PA) in older adults. METHODS In this randomized controlled trial, participants (n=510) were assigned to a 12-week mobility-focused KT intervention or self-serve control group. The intervention included weekly email alerts and a study-specific social media hashtag linking to mobility-focused Portal materials. The control group was able to access the Portal on their own but did not receive targeted KT strategies. Participants completed questionnaires (including the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity to quantify PA) at baseline, end of the study, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS Participants were predominantly female (430/510, 84.3%), mean age 64.7 years, with no baseline differences between groups. Over half (277/510, 54.3%) of the participants were classified as “active” at baseline. There was no significant between-group difference in the PA category. Overall, both groups increased their PA with improvements maintained at 3-month follow-up (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). In planned subgroup analyses, the KT intervention had a significant effect for those with poor or fair baseline self-rated health (<i>P</i>=.03). CONCLUSIONS No differences were found between those who received the targeted intervention and a control group with self-serve access to the Portal, except in subgroups with low self-rated health. Both groups did report increases in PA that were sustained beyond participation in a research study. Findings suggest that different KT strategies may be needed for different types of users, with more intense interventions being most impactful for certain groups (ie, those with lower self-rated health). CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02947230; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02947230

scholarly journals Beneficial Influence of Mindfulness Training Promoted by Text Messages on Self-Reported Aerobic Physical Activity in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 406-414
Author(s):  
Nicolas Robin ◽  
Lucette Toussaint ◽  
Stéphane Sinnapah ◽  
Olivier Hue ◽  
Guillaume R. Coudevylle
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Experimental Conditions

Inactivity is known to have harmful effects on the physical and mental health of older adults. This study used a randomized, parallel trial design to evaluate whether daily text prompts to practice mindfulness would have a positive impact on the time that adults aged 50 years or older spend in aerobic physical activity. The participants were recruited from a certified fitness center and divided into mindfulness and control groups. For 4 weeks, they were exposed to the experimental conditions, with or without the morning text message. In the morning message condition, the mindfulness groups received a text message with the instruction to practice audio-guided mindfulness for 10 min, and the control group received a placebo message. The participants practicing mindfulness reported significantly more weekly minutes of aerobic physical activity and higher intrinsic motivation than the control participants. Mindfulness training was effective at increasing aerobic physical activity duration and might complement physical activity programs.

scholarly journals The role of the trainer in adapted physical activity for osteoporosis to improve quality of life

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Marini ◽  
A Masini ◽  
P Maietta Latessa ◽  
T Sanna ◽  
A Raggi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Improve Quality ◽  
Adapted Physical Activity ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Substantial Impact

Abstract Background Osteoporosis is a major health burden worldwide and require a multi-modal approach including exercise. Fractures have a substantial impact on quality of life (QoL) so exercise programs may to be conducted by trainers able to deal with this condition, because exercise alone, even if in the right dosage, seems to be not enough to improve QoL. A quasi-experimental pilot study performed to determine the feasibility and safety of an Adapted Physical Activity (APA) protocol specifically designed for osteoporotic women with vertebral fractures and its effect on QoL, with a specific focus on trainer's role. Methods The Experimental Group (EG) performed APA protocol 1hour twice a week for 6 months, while the Control Group (CG) received standard care. QoL was assessed at baseline and follow-up with ECOS-16 questionnaire and semi structured interviews to understand women perceptions regarding trainer's role. Using mixed-methods quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed using SPSS 5 and NVivo 12, respectively. Results 40 post-menopausal women (mean age: 67.6±4.6) divided in 2 groups EG = 22 and CG = 18, completed the study. At follow-up, EG improved significantly QoL (EG: -0.5±0.5 vs CG: 0.0±0.3 p = 0.02). The APA intervention had a significant effect on all the components of QoL, as measured by the disease-specific ECOS-16 questionnaire: Physical Component Summary (PCS) (EG: -0.4±0.5 vs CG: 0.0±0.4 p = 0.06) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) (EG: -0.5±0.6 vs CG: 0.1±0.5 p = 0.02). The interviews confirmed this result, emphasizing the key role of the trainer in improving their QoL. The adherence calculated as number of sessions performed compared to the sessions proposed was 75.8%. No injuries were observed. Conclusions The feasibility, the safety, and the positive effect of the proposed exercise protocol on QoL confirmed also by the interviews, show that principles of exercise education applied by trainers should be extended also to patients with other chronic condition. Key messages Trainers specifically educated, could be a means of achieving the goal improving people’s QoL, as they occupy the role of exercise experts and also an educational, relational and support role. The management of osteoporosis is multi-modal and includes exercise, often recommended as a beneficial non-pharmacological treatment to slow the rate of bone loss and improve quality of life.

scholarly journals ‘You started something … then I continued by myself’: a qualitative study of physical activity maintenance

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (06) ◽  
pp. 574-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte Wahlich ◽  
Carole Beighton ◽  
Christina Victor ◽  
Rebecca Normansell ◽  
Derek Cook ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Walking Intervention ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Bad Weather

Background Most mid-life and older adults are not achieving recommended physical activity (PA) targets and effective interventions are needed to increase and maintain PA long-term for health benefits. The Pedometer And Consultation Evaluation (PACE-UP) trial, a three-armed primary care pedometer-based walking intervention in those aged 45–75 years, demonstrated increased PA levels at 12 months. A three-year follow-up was conducted to evaluate long-term PA maintenance, including a qualitative component. Aim To examine facilitators and barriers to PA maintenance in mid-life and older adults previously involved in a PA trial. Method Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 60 PACE-UP participants across all study arms. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded independently by researchers, prior to thematic analysis. Findings Two-thirds of participants felt since the PACE-UP trial they had an awareness of PA, with the pedometer reported as ‘kick-starting’ regular activity, and then helped them to maintain regular activity. PA facilitators included: maintaining good health, self-motivation, social support and good weather. Lack of time was the most frequently cited barrier. Other barriers were often the inverse of the facilitators; for example, poor health and bad weather. Participants described the type of ‘top-up’ intervention they would find beneficial to aid PA maintenance (eg, text messages, online resources and walking groups). Conclusion A challenge for future PA interventions is to transform barriers into facilitators; for example, educating trial participants about the value of PA for many chronic health conditions to change this from inhibiting to promoting PA. Participants provided ideas for encouraging PA maintenance which could be incorporated into future interventions.

scholarly journals Impact of a Knowledge Translation Intervention on Physical Activity and Mobility in Older Adults (the Move4Age Study): Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/15125 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. e15125
Author(s):  
Sarah Neil-Sztramko ◽  
Jenna Smith-Turchyn ◽  
Julie Richardson ◽  
Maureen Dobbins
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Knowledge Translation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Rapid Assessment ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Randomized Controlled

Background The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (the Portal) was launched in 2014 as a knowledge translation (KT) tool to increase access to evidence-based health information. Objective The purpose of this study was to understand if and how dissemination of mobility information through the Portal impacts physical activity (PA) in older adults. Methods In this randomized controlled trial, participants (n=510) were assigned to a 12-week mobility-focused KT intervention or self-serve control group. The intervention included weekly email alerts and a study-specific social media hashtag linking to mobility-focused Portal materials. The control group was able to access the Portal on their own but did not receive targeted KT strategies. Participants completed questionnaires (including the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity to quantify PA) at baseline, end of the study, and 3-month follow-up. Results Participants were predominantly female (430/510, 84.3%), mean age 64.7 years, with no baseline differences between groups. Over half (277/510, 54.3%) of the participants were classified as “active” at baseline. There was no significant between-group difference in the PA category. Overall, both groups increased their PA with improvements maintained at 3-month follow-up (P<.001). In planned subgroup analyses, the KT intervention had a significant effect for those with poor or fair baseline self-rated health (P=.03). Conclusions No differences were found between those who received the targeted intervention and a control group with self-serve access to the Portal, except in subgroups with low self-rated health. Both groups did report increases in PA that were sustained beyond participation in a research study. Findings suggest that different KT strategies may be needed for different types of users, with more intense interventions being most impactful for certain groups (ie, those with lower self-rated health). Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02947230; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02947230

scholarly journals Determinants of Behaviour Change in a Multi-Component Telemonitoring Intervention for Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1062 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marije van Doorn-van Atten ◽  
Lisette de Groot ◽  
Jeanne de Vries ◽  
Annemien Haveman-Nies
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Behaviour Change Techniques ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Behavioural Determinants

Optimal diet quality and physical activity levels are essential for healthy ageing. This study evaluated the effects of a multi-component telemonitoring intervention on behavioural determinants of diet quality and physical activity in older adults, and assessed the mediating role of these determinants and two behaviour change techniques in the intervention’s effects. A non-randomised controlled design was used including 214 participants (average age 80 years) who were allocated to the intervention or control group based on municipality. The six-month intervention consisted of self-measurements of nutritional outcomes and physical activity, education, and follow-up by a nurse. The control group received regular care. Measurements took place at baseline, after 4.5 months and at the end of the study. The intervention increased self-monitoring and improved knowledge and perceived behavioural control for physical activity. Increased self-monitoring mediated the intervention’s effect on diet quality, fruit intake, and saturated fatty acids intake. Improved knowledge mediated the effect on protein intake. Concluding, this intervention led to improvements in behavioural determinants of diet quality and physical activity. The role of the hypothesised mediators was limited. Insight into these mechanisms of impact provides directions for future development of nutritional eHealth interventions for older adults, in which self-monitoring may be a promising behaviour change technique. More research is necessary into how behaviour change is established in telemonitoring interventions for older adults.

scholarly journals Does Social Capital Benefit Older Adults’ Health and Well-Being? The Mediating Role of Physical Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 688-697
Author(s):  
F. Boen ◽  
J. Pelssers ◽  
J. Scheerder ◽  
N. Vanbeselaere ◽  
S. Vos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Health And Well Being

Objectives: To assess whether social capital benefits older adults’ self-rated health and well-being and whether physical activity mediates this relation. Methods: A survey study was conducted among members of a sociocultural organization (age ≥55 years), both cross-sectionally (baseline Time 1; N = 959) and longitudinally (3-year follow-up Time 2; N = 409). Results: Specific indicators of social capital were positively, though modestly, related to health and well-being at Time 1 and Time 2. Experienced connectedness with age peers emerged as the strongest predictor. Physical activity only mediated the relation with experienced safety in society. Discussion: The relative importance of older adults’ experienced connectedness with their age peers underlines the importance of internalized group membership as a determinant of their health and well-being. Physical activity seems to play only a minor mediating role.

scholarly journals Results of MyPlan 2.0 on Physical Activity in Older Belgian Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial

10.2196/13219 ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. e13219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delfien Van Dyck ◽  
Karel Herman ◽  
Louise Poppe ◽  
Geert Crombez ◽  
Ilse De Bourdeaudhuij ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Group 5 ◽  
Ehealth Intervention ◽  
And Control

Background The beneficial effects of physical activity (PA) for older adults are well known. However, few older adults reach the health guideline of 150 min per week of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). Electronic health (eHealth) interventions are effective in increasing PA levels in older adults in the short term but, rarely, intermediate-term effects after a period without the support of a website or an app have been examined. Furthermore, current theory-based interventions focus mainly on preintentional determinants, although postintentional determinants should also be included to increase the likelihood of successful behavior change. Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of the theory-based eHealth intervention, MyPlan 2.0, focusing on pre- and postintentional determinants on both accelerometer-based and self-reported PA levels in older Belgian adults in the short and intermediate term. Methods This study was a randomized controlled trial with three data collection points: baseline (N=72), post (five weeks after baseline; N=65), and follow-up (three months after baseline; N=65). The study took place in Ghent, and older adults (aged ≥65 years) were recruited through a combination of random and convenience sampling. At all the time points, participants were visited by the research team. Self-reported domain-specific PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and accelerometers were used to objectively assess PA. Participants in the intervention group got access to the eHealth intervention, MyPlan 2.0, and used it independently for five consecutive weeks after baseline. MyPlan 2.0 was based on the self-regulatory theory and focused on both pre- and postintentional processes to increase PA. Multilevel mixed-models repeated measures analyses were performed in R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing). Results Significant (borderline) positive intervention effects were found for accelerometer-based MVPA (baseline−follow-up: intervention group +5 min per day and control group −5 min per day; P=.07) and for accelerometer-based total PA (baseline−post: intervention group +20 min per day and control group −24 min per day; P=.05). MyPlan 2.0 was also effective in increasing self-reported PA, mainly in the intermediate term. A positive intermediate-term intervention effect was found for leisure-time vigorous PA (P=.02), moderate household-related PA (P=.01), and moderate PA in the garden (P=.04). Negative intermediate-term intervention effects were found for leisure-time moderate PA (P=.01) and cycling for transport (P=.07). Conclusions The findings suggest that theory-based eHealth interventions focusing on pre- and postintentional determinants have the potential for behavior change in older adults. If future studies including larger samples and long-term follow-up can confirm and clarify these findings, researchers and practitioners should be encouraged to use a self-regulation perspective for eHealth intervention development. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03194334; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03783611.

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