Can a Lifestyle Intervention Increase Active Transportation in Women Aged 55–70 years? Secondary Outcomes From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

in Journal of Physical Activity and Health

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Samantha M. Gray
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Peggy Chen
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Lena Fleig
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Paul A. Gardiner
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Megan M. McAllister
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Joseph H. Puyat
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Joanie Sims-Gould
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Heather A. McKay
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Meghan Winters
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Maureen C. Ashe
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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2016-0348
Keywords:
active transport; environment; older adults; intervention study
In Print:
Volume 15: Issue 6
Page Range:
411–416
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Background: Physical activity confers many health benefits to older adults, and adopting activity into daily life routines may lead to better uptake. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of a lifestyle intervention to increase daily physical activity in older women through utilitarian walking and use of public transportation. Methods: In total, 25 inactive women with mean age (SD) of 64.1 (4.6) years participated in this pilot randomized controlled trial [intervention (n = 13) and control (n = 12)]. Seven-day travel diaries (trips per week) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (minutes per week) were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Results: At 3 months, intervention participants reported 9 walking trips per week and 643.5 minutes per week of active transportation, whereas control participants reported 4 walking trips per week and 49.5 minutes per week of active transportation. Adjusting for baseline values, there were significant group differences favoring Everyday Activity Supports You for walking trips per week [4.6 (0.5 to 9.4); P = .04] and active transportation minutes per week [692.2 (36.1 to 1323.5); P = .05]. At 6 months, significant group differences were observed in walking trips per week [6.1 (1.9 to 11.4); P = .03] favoring the intervention (9 vs 2 trips per week). Conclusion: Given these promising findings, the next step is to test Everyday Activity Supports You model’s effectiveness to promote physical activity in older women within a larger study.

Sims-Gould, McKay, and Ashe are with the Dept of Family Practice, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Gray, Chen, and McAllister are with the Community Mobility Lab, Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Fleig is with the Dept of Health Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Gardiner is with the Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Puyat is with the School of Population and Public Health, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Winters is with the Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Ashe (maureen.ashe@ubc.ca) is corresponding author.
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