A National Interactive Web-Based Physical Activity Intervention in Women, Evaluation of the American Heart Association Choose to Move Program 2006–2007

Abstract

Increased physical activity (PA) is associated with improvement of cardiac risk factors and prevention of cardiovascular disease, yet many women remain sedentary. With rising Internet use, Web-based interventions provide an alternative to improve PA, but their effectiveness for change in PA and quality of life (QOL) in a real-world setting is unknown. Participants were United States women ≥18 years old who received 12 weekly PA modules and completed surveys on PA, QOL, and readiness for PA at registration (registration cohort, n = 3,796) or registration and 12 weeks (evaluation cohort, n = 892). QOL was assessed with a modified Short Form-36 with subscores for energy and well-being. Participants showed significant (p <0.001) favorable changes in PA (baseline, median 240 kcal/week, interquartile range 62 to 667; 12 weeks, 343 kcal/week, 131 to 828), stage of readiness for PA, and body mass index (baseline, 29.3 kg/m(2), 24.9 to 34.7; 12 weeks, 28.9 kg/m(2), 24.6 to 34.2). Significant improvements (p <0.0001) were also found in composite scores for energy and well-being. Compliance with PA guideline recommendations increased from 15.8% to 21.4%. Program weeks completed (p = 0.03), energy (p = 0.04), and well-being (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with achieving guideline compliance. In women reporting no PA at baseline (n = 88), program participation resulted in 54.6% achieving some PA and another 9.1% achieving total compliance with recommendations. In conclusion, in this national cohort of women, a 12-week Web-based intervention improved PA and QOL measurements, resulting in higher short-term PA guideline compliance and better QOL. Increasing use of this simple Web-based tool could improve PA and promote disease prevention.