Text-Messaging to Motivate Walking in Older African Americans

Background: Older minority populations can benefit from increased physical activity, especially walking. Text messaging interventions have the potential to encourage positive changes in health behavior in these groups.

Purpose: To examine if a six week program of motivational text messaging increases physical activity (step count) among older African Americans in an urban setting.

Design: Randomized, controlled trial pilot study with assignment to motivational text messaging group or a control group.

Setting/Participants: Thirty-six African Americans aged 60 to 85.

Intervention: The intervention group received motivational text messages three times a day, three days a week, for six weeks. Both groups received pedometers and walking manuals to record step counts. Study was conducted and analyzed in 2011.

Main Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measure was step count. Secondary outcome measure was perceived activity levels assessed by the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ).

Results/Conclusion: In press - American Journal of Preventive Medicine (Jan 2013)

Inclusion criteria

• African American community-dwelling adults aged 60 to 85 who were recruited from senior centers.
• had to be healthy (no restrictions and medical clearance to walk)
• had to have a mobile phone with text messaging capability

Exclusion criteria

• (a) any physical, psychological illness, or medical problems that restricted them from walking; (b) did not own a mobile phone with text messaging capability; or (c) were not willing or able to follow study procedures.