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Text messaging to motivate walking in older African Americans: a randomized controlled trial
1Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington DC 20003, USA. bhk26@georgetown.edu
Background:
Older minority populations can benefit from increased physical activity, especially walking. Text messaging interventions have the potential to encourage positive changes in health behavior in these groups.
Purpose:
To examine if a 6-week program of motivational text messaging increases physical activity (step count) among older African Americans in an urban setting.
Design:
RCT pilot study with assignment to motivational text messaging group or a control group.
Setting/Participants:
Thirty-six African Americans aged 60-85 years.
Intervention:
The intervention group received motivational text messages three times a day, 3 days a week, for 6 weeks. Both groups received pedometers and walking manuals to record step counts. The study was conducted and data were analyzed in 2011.
Main Outcome Measures:
The primary outcome measure was step count. The secondary outcome measure was perceived activity levels assessed by the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ).
Results:
The group who received motivational text messages had greater improvements in step count (+679 vs +398; p<0.05) and perceived activity levels (p<0.05) than the group who did not receive text messages.
Conclusions:
Motivational text messaging three times a week for 6 weeks was effective in increasing step count and self-reported leisure time exercise behavior among older African Americans.
Registration:
This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.govNCT01697475.
