Twelve-month physical activity outcomes in Latinas in the Seamos Saludables trial

Physical activity interventions designed for Latinas have shown short-term behavior change, but longer-term change and maintenance is rarely measured.

To assess physical activity change at 12 months, following 6-month tapered completion of an RCT of a physical activity intervention for Latinas.

Two hundred sixty-six underactive (<60 minutes/week physical activity) Latinas were randomized to an individually tailored, culturally and linguistically adapted physical activity intervention, or a wellness contact control. Participants received the materials through the mail for 6 months, then received booster doses at 8, 10, and 12 months. Minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity were measured by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall interview at baseline and 6 and 12 months. Data were collected at Brown University between 2009 and 2013, and analyses were conducted in 2013.

At 12 months, increases in moderate to vigorous physical activity were significantly greater in the intervention than in the wellness group (mean difference=52 minutes/week, SE=9.38, p<0.01), with both groups showing slight increases in moderate to vigorous physical activity from 6 to 12 months. Intervention participants were also more likely to meet national moderate to vigorous physical activity guidelines (OR=3.14, p=0.01).

The intervention was more effective than the wellness control at 12 months, and physical activity increases from baseline to 6 months were maintained, suggesting the intervention may lead to sustainable behavior change.

This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01583140.