Abstract
Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week home-based postal and telephone physical activity and nutrition pilot program for seniors. Methods. The program was delivered by mailed material and telephone calls. The main intervention consisted of a booklet tailored for seniors containing information on dietary guidelines, recommended physical activity levels, and goal setting. Dietary and walking activity outcomes were collected via a self-administered postal questionnaire pre- and postintervention and analysed using linear mixed regressions. Of the 270 seniors recruited, half were randomly selected for the program while others served as the control group. Results. The program elicited favourable responses. Postintervention walking for exercise/recreation showed an average gain of 27 minutes per week for the participants in contrast to an average drop of 5 minutes for the controls (P < .01). Little change was evident in errand walking for both groups. The intervention group (n = 114) demonstrated a significant increase in fibre intake (P < .01) but no reduction in fat intake (P > .05) compared to controls (n = 134). Conclusions. The participants became more aware of their health and wellbeing after the pilot program, which was successful in increasing time spent walking for recreation and improving fibre intake.
Highlights
It is estimated that the mean energy intake of Australians increased by almost 4% from 1983 to 1995 [1]
The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of this Physical Activity and Nutrition for Seniors (PANS) intervention for home-based 65–74 year old adults in Perth, Western Australia
The development of the PANS intervention was based on a participatory action research (PAR) approach involving systematic investigation and collaboration with the target group [32]
Summary
It is estimated that the mean energy intake of Australians increased by almost 4% from 1983 to 1995 [1]. Diet trends have shifted towards an increased consumption of fats and saturated fats, with the level of total fat consumed exceeding recommended levels of below 30% of the daily energy intake [3]. In the USA, the consumption of fruits and vegetables declined between 1994 and 2005, with only 24.7% of the adult population consuming fruit or vegetable or both, five or more times a day [6]. In Australia, even after extensive social marketing campaigns promoting vegetable and fruit consumption, only 16% and 63% of older adults met recommended consumption levels for vegetables and fruits, respectively [8], while in Britain, the average intake of fruits and vegetables is estimated at three servings a day [5]
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