Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine if electronic messaging would increase min of aerobic physical activity (PA) among older adults. Participants were active older adults (n = 28; M age = 60 years, SD = 5.99, and range = 51–74 years). Using an incomplete within-subjects crossover design, participants were randomly assigned to begin the 4-week study receiving the treatment condition (a morning and evening text message) or the control condition (an evening text message). Participants self-reported min of completed aerobic PA by cell phone text. The 1-way within-subjects ANOVA showed significant group differences (p < 0.05). Specifically, when participants were in the treatment condition, they reported significantly greater average weekly min of aerobic PA (M = 96.88 min, SD = 62.9) compared to when they completed the control condition (M = 71.68 min, SD = 40.98). Electronic messaging delivered via cell phones was effective at increasing min of aerobic PA among older adults.
Highlights
Regular physical activity (PA) has many physical and mental health benefits for older adults including lowering the risk of early death, improving bone health, increasing cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, decreasing levels of body fat, and reducing anxiety and depression [1]
It was hypothesized that participants would report significantly greater average weekly min of aerobic PA during the intervention condition than when they were in the control condition
There were no significant group differences between the participants initially randomized into Group 1 and those who began the study in Group 2 across demographic characteristics
Summary
Regular physical activity (PA) has many physical and mental health benefits for older adults including lowering the risk of early death, improving bone health, increasing cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, decreasing levels of body fat, and reducing anxiety and depression [1]. To achieve these benefits, the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG) recommend that adults should complete 150 min a week of moderate intensity aerobic PA or 75 min a week of vigorous intensity aerobic PA (or a combination of both), as well as two days a week of muscle strengthening activities [2]. Stimulus control involves manipulating environmental conditions, such as using prompts or reminders to decrease the problem behavior (physical inactivity) and increase the targeted behavior (PA participation [6]) and this strategy has frequently been incorporated into health behavior interventions
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