Abstract
BackgroundMost older adults do not adhere to the US Centers for Disease Control physical activity guidelines; their physical inactivity contributes to overweight and multiple chronic conditions. An urgent need exists for effective physical activity-promotion programs for the large number of older adults in the United States.ObjectiveThis study presents the development of the intervention and trial protocol of iCanFit 2.0, a multi-level, mobile-enabled, physical activity-promotion program developed for overweight older adults in primary care settings.MethodsThe iCanFit 2.0 program was developed based on our prior mHealth intervention programs, qualitative interviews with older patients in a primary care clinic, and iterative discussions with key stakeholders. We will test the efficacy of iCanFit 2.0 through a cluster randomized controlled trial in six pairs of primary care clinics.ResultsThe proposed protocol received a high score in a National Institutes of Health review, but was not funded due to limited funding sources. We are seeking other funding sources to conduct the project.ConclusionsThe iCanFit 2.0 program is one of the first multi-level, mobile-enabled, physical activity-promotion programs for older adults in a primary care setting. The development process has actively involved older patients and other key stakeholders. The patients, primary care providers, health coaches, and family and friends were engaged in the program using a low-cost, off-the-shelf mobile tool. Such low-cost, multi-level programs can potentially address the high prevalence of physical inactivity in older adults.
Highlights
The benefits of regular physical activity on the well-being of older adults are well established
The patients, primary care providers, health coaches, and family and friends were engaged in the program using a low-cost, off-the-shelf mobile tool
JMIR Res Protoc 2017 | vol 6 | iss. 9 | e183 | p. 1 grow—13% of the US population will be older than 65 years of age by 2020 [8]—an urgent need exists for physical activity-promotion programs that can reach a large population of older adults efficiently
Summary
The benefits of regular physical activity on the well-being of older adults are well established. Even small increases in physical activity at a population level could have far-reaching positive impacts on chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and several cancers [1,2,3]. Literature suggests that effective physical activity-promotion programs are those built upon social and behavioral theories and practices, extend beyond the individual-level factors, and incorporate social and health care support [9,10,11]. Most older adults do not adhere to the US Centers for Disease Control physical activity guidelines; their physical inactivity contributes to overweight and multiple chronic conditions.
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