New Study May Have the Answer to Help Seniors Walk
to a Healthier Lifestyle
Joins others finding interventions are effective in
increasing walking behaviors
June
18, 2008 - Need a boost to get off the couch? It is well established
that many if not most senior citizens are in dire need of such a
boost. But, maybe there is motivation for many in a new study showing
that a variety of interventions designed to promote walking can
effectively motivate individuals to initiate walking behaviors.
The results of the review are published in the July
issue of Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.
"Walking is the most prevalent and preferred method
of physical activity for both work and leisure purposes, making it a
prime target for exercise interventions," says lead author David
Williams, Ph.D., a psychologist at the Centers for Behavioral and
Preventive Medicine at The Miriam Hospital.
"Based on our review of studies, walking promotion
interventions can be effective in helping people initiate regular
walking programs, particularly for those motivated to sign up, and
certain aspects of these programs may be more successful than others."
During the study, Williams and his team searched
medical research databases and, based on effectiveness, identified 14
randomized controlled trials designed to test interventions specifically
targeting walking behavior. The interventions ranged from programs
tailored to individual needs to those not personalized and delivered to
groups; from mass media campaigns to one-on-one promotions; and
motivational messages delivered through the mail, over the phone, and/or
in face-to-face meetings.
"Although there have been few well-controlled
studies that specifically target walking, results generally show that
individuals enrolled in walking interventions were walking significantly
more than those in the control groups," says Williams, who is also an
assistant professor of psychiatry (research) at The Warren Alpert
Medical School of Brown University.
He notes that increased walking on a population
level has the potential to significantly decrease the incidence of
chronic disease. "While researchers have made great strides in
understanding the impact of physical activity on health and wellness,
the current challenge is to continue to develop intervention programs
that successfully motivate the adoption and maintenance of physical
activity," he says.
Additionally, researchers identified studies
showing evidence in support of the following intervention strategies:
● Frequency of telephone prompts reminding
program participants to continue walking appears to be more important
than duration and content of each telephone call.
● Encouraging high frequency walking (five to
seven days per week) is more effective in increasing walking than
prescribing less frequent (three to five days per week) walking.
● Encouraging walking at a moderate pace is more
effective in increasing walking than prescribing high intensity walking.
● Encouraging participants to walk in single
bouts or multiple sessions, for example 30 minutes at once, or three,
10-minute walks were equally effective.
● Mixed results were apparent in studies testing
goal-setting in terms of steps per day versus minutes per day; however,
results generally support the use of pedometers as a motivational tool.
● Mass media interventions targeting broader
audiences, were successful at creating awareness and knowledge about the
benefits of walking, but were less successful at impacting individual
behavior change without any supplemental intervention.
The authors note that web-based exercise
interventions may also be an effective means of promoting physical
activity.
"Web-based programs have the potential to make a
significant impact. In addition to the popularity and accessibility of
the Internet, they have the ability to disseminate individually tailored
programs to a broad population in a very cost-effective manner," says
Williams.
Subsequent research is needed to find out more
about exactly who will benefit from what type of intervention and by how
much. "We also need to look at how to incorporate the successful
components of interventions into programs that will appeal to people who
are not actively seeking out a way to add more physical activity to
their lifestyle," says Williams. "That being said, it's encouraging that
the interventions we looked at showed promise."
Editors Notes:
In addition to Williams, the research team
included Charles Matthews, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University Medical
Center; Candace Rutt, Ph.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; Melissa Napolitano, Ph.D., of Temple University; and Bess
Marcus, Ph.D., of the Centers for Behavioral Medicine at The Miriam
Hospital and Alpert Medical School.
The Miriam Hospital, established in 1926 in
Providence, R.I., is a not-for-profit hospital affiliated with The
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Nationally recognized
as a top hospital in cardiovascular care, The Miriam Hospital (www.miriamhospital.org)
offers particular expertise in angioplasty, stroke care and women's
cardiac care. One of 18 designated Center for AIDS Research (CFAR)
sites, The Miriam is a leader in the treatment, research and prevention
of HIV/AIDS. The hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive
Medicine attracts over $17 million in research funding annually,
studying the leading lifestyle causes of disease burden and death with
an emphasis on weight control, physical activity and smoking cessation.
The Miriam Hospital has been awarded Magnet Recognition for Excellence
in Nursing Services three times and is committed to excellence in
patient care, research and medical education. The Miriam is a founding
member of the Lifespan health system.
June
18, 2008 - Need a boost to get off the couch? It is well established
that many if not most senior citizens are in dire need of such a
boost. But, maybe there is motivation for many in a new study showing
that a variety of interventions designed to promote walking can
effectively motivate individuals to initiate walking behaviors. 
Two studies seem to prove that aging does not
necessarily mean sedentary lifestyle
Oct.
31, 2007