AgingPLUS: Promoting Physical Activity in Adults

Physical Activity Clinical Trial

Official title: Testing Psychological Mechanisms to Promote Physical Activity in Adults

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study examines the efficacy of a psycho-educational intervention program, AgingPLUS, with regard to increasing middle-aged and older adults' engagement in physical activity.

Clinical Trial Description

AgingPLUS is a multi-component intervention program that addresses negative views of aging (NVOA), low internal control beliefs, and deficient goal planning as a risk cluster that keeps adults from engaging in health-promoting behavior. The program focuses on engagement in physical activity (PA) as the health behavior of choice. Engagement in PA is widely recognized as the best non-pharmacological, non-invasive, and cost-effective method of health promotion. Yet, only 20% of the adult population meets the recommended PA guidelines. This suggests that messages about the benefits of PA alone are not effective. Rather, it is essential to address the social-cognitive and motiva-tional mechanisms that prevent adults from adopting and maintaining a regular PA regimen. NVOA, low internal control beliefs, and deficient goal planning represent such a cluster of social-cognitive and motivational mechanisms.

Given this background, the specific aims and hypotheses of the proposed research are:

Aim 1: To conduct a randomized controlled trial examining the efficacy of the AgingPLUS program.

Aim 2: To test a conceptual model of the mechanisms underlying the intervention effects.

Aim 3: To conduct a 6-month follow-up to examine the longer-term effects of AgingPLUS.

Upon completion of this project, we expect to have successfully established evidence for the efficacy of the AgingPLUS program (Stage II of the NIH Stage Mode). The long-term goal is to develop AgingPLUS into a full-fledged evidence-based program that can be implemented in community settings (e.g., senior centers), and can serve as a fairly brief and cost-effective public health tool to promote healthy and successful aging. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Physical Activity

• NCT number: NCT03299348
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Colorado State University
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: May 1, 2018
• Completion date: May 31, 2023