Daily Activity Study of Health: Increasing Physical Activity in Aging

This project will obtain data on the effects of a six week intervention designed to increase subjects' motivation to increase their physical activity. Subjects will be randomized into two different conditions to examine the efficacy of self-affirmation + positive messaging versus a control group that receives negative messaging only on changes in physical activity.

We will also examine whether any differential physical activity or structured exercise engendered in the two groups is maintained at 3 months post-intervention.

Secondary outcome measures will include a battery of cognitive, psychosocial, and neuroimaging measures that are designed to explicate the mechanisms that underlie motivation effects for physical activity in sedentary older adults.

Inclusion criteria

• Age range 60-95
• Not exercising more than 150 minutes of moderate/vigorous intensity per week AND sitting more than 8 hours per day
• No contraindications to MRI (if opting for MRI)
• Being able to speak English fluently
• Body Mass Index (BMI) between 20 and 40
• Normal or corrected-normal vision based on the minimal 20/20 standard
• Ambulatory without severe pain or the assistance of walking devices
• No diagnosis of a neurological disease
• Regular access to a computer with internet or smartphone

Exclusion criteria

• Primary care physician does not approve additional physical activity
• Inability to ambulate without assistive device
• Any unstable medical condition
• Current diagnosis of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) Axis I or II disorder including Major Depression
• History of major psychiatric illness including schizophrenia (not including general anxiety disorder or depression)
• Current treatment for cancer - except non-melanoma skin
• Neurological condition (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, dementia, mild cognitive impairment) or brain injury (traumatic or stroke)
• Current alcohol or substance abuse
• Current treatment for congestive heart failure, angina, uncontrolled arrhythmia, deep vein thrombosis or other cardiovascular event
• Myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, angioplasty or other cardiac condition in the past year
• Not passing the Telephone Interview of Cognitive Status (TICS) as normal
• Use of any anti-psychotic, anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, and attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD) medications.