132 Annual Meeting Logo - Go to APHA Meeting Page  
APHA Logo - Go to APHA Home Page

SENIOR project: Stage-based intervention on exercise and diet in a large community sample of older adults

Mary L. Greaney, PhD1, Phillip G. Clark, ScD2, Joseph S. Rossi, PhD1, Deborah Riebe, PhD3, Geoffrey Greene, PhD4, Sandra D. Saunders, MS, MPH5, and Faith D. Lees, MS1. (1) Cancer Prevention Research Center, University of Rhode Island, 2 Chafee Road, Kingston, RI 02881, 401-874-7546, mgreaney@etal.uri.edu, (2) Program in Gerontology and Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center, University of Rhode Island, White Hall G-15, 2 Heathman Road, Kingston, RI 02881, (3) Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Rhode Island, Tootell 109, Kingston, RI 02881, (4) Department of Nutrition and Food Science, University of Rhode Island, Ranger Hall, Kingston, RI 02881, (5) Department of Human Development and Family Studies, University of Rhode Island, 8 Washburn Hall, Kingston, RI 02881

The SENIOR Project—Study of Exercise and Nutrition in Older Rhode Islanders—is a National Institute on Aging-funded, 12-month multibehavioral health promotion intervention for community-dwelling older adults (n = 1277; mean age 75.7) to increase both exercise and fruit/vegetable consumption. This study is a 2x2 experimental design with the following groups: exercise only, nutrition only, exercise plus nutrition, and control group. Intervention components (based on the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change) are stage-tailored for each individual and include manuals, newsletters, expert system assessments/reports, and telephone coaching. Outcome data are collected at times 0, 12, and 24 months. Analyses of baseline and 12-month data only are presented (24-month data are not yet available). Baseline data were analyzed to examine the relationships among the stage of change for exercise and fruit/vegetable consumption with regard to participant stages of readiness to change and the characteristics of participants at different levels of readiness to change their exercise and/or nutritional behaviors. Pearson’s chi square analysis determined that the two stage of change measures were significantly associated (c2 (1) = 5.811, p = .016)—i.e., individuals in action/maintenance for one behavior were more likely to also be in action/maintenance for the other behavior—but the association was small (h2 = .067). At 12 months a total of 950 participants provided data. Results indicated that although the exercise intervention did increase physical activity, it may also have decreased fruit/vegetable consumption. Results will be interpreted within a multiple-behavior intervention framework focusing on overburdening, enhancement, and additivity hypotheses.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Health Promotion, Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Mobilizing Communities: Improving Nutrition and Increasing Physical Activity among Older Adults

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA