Smart Walk: A Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention for African American Women

This study addresses major public health concerns among African American women: physical inactivity and cardiometabolic disease risk. African American women experience a high burden of cardiometabolic diseases, including heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Regular aerobic physical activity is an established behavior to prevent and treat these conditions. Yet, the many African American women are insufficiently active, with only 27-40% meeting national aerobic physical activity guidelines. This study will test the efficacy of Smart Walk, a culturally tailored, theory-based smartphone-delivered intervention designed to increase physical activity and improve cardiometabolic disease risk factors among African American women. In a 12-month trial, participants will be randomly assigned to either the Smart Walk intervention or a Fitbit-only comparison arm for an active 4-month intervention period, followed by an 8-month minimal contact follow-up period. Specific Aims: 1. Test the effects of Smart Walk to increase physical activity and promote adherence to national aerobic physical activity guidelines; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group. 2. Test the effects of Smart Walk to improve cardiometabolic risk factors; compared to Fitbit-only comparison group. 3. Compare cost and cost effectiveness of the two intervention groups from a societal perspective. 4. Examine if protocol adherence predicts outcomes and potential mediation and moderation of intervention effects on physical activity and cardiometabolic outcomes.