Text-Messaging to Motivate Walking in Older African Americans

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 six week program of motivational text messaging increases physical activity (step count) among older African Americans in an urban setting. Design: Randomized, controlled trial pilot study with assignment to motivational text messaging group or a control group. Setting/Participants: Thirty-six African Americans aged 60 to 85. Intervention: The intervention group received motivational text messages three times a day, three days a week, for six weeks. Both groups received pedometers and walking manuals to record step counts. Study was conducted and analyzed in 2011. Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measure was step count. Secondary outcome measure was perceived activity levels assessed by the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ). Results/Conclusion: In press - American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Jan 2013)