Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2007 Apr;97(4):710-7.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2006.090522. Epub 2007 Feb 28.

Eat better & move more: a community-based program designed to improve diets and increase physical activity among older Americans

Nancy S Wellman  1 , Barbara Kamp, Neva J Kirk-Sanchez, Paulette M Johnson
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Eat better & move more: a community-based program designed to improve diets and increase physical activity among older Americans

Nancy S Wellman et al. Am J Public Health. 2007 Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: We assessed outcomes of an integrated nutrition and exercise program designed for Older Americans Act Nutrition Program participants as part of the Administration on Aging's You Can! campaign.

Methods: A 10-site intervention study was conducted. Preintervention and postintervention assessments focused on nutrition and physical activity stages of change, self-reported health status, dietary intakes, physical activity, and program satisfaction.

Results: Of 999 enrollees, the 620 who completed the program were aged 74.6 years on average; 82% were women, and 41% were members of racial/ethnic minority groups. Factors associated with program completion were site, health conditions, and nutrition risk. Seventy-three percent and 75% of participants, respectively, made a significant advance of 1 or more nutrition and physical activity stages of change; 24% reported improved health status. Daily intake of fruit increased 1 or more servings among 31% of participants; vegetables, 37%; and fiber, 33%. Daily steps increased 35%; blocks walked, 45%; and stairs climbed, 24%. Program satisfaction was 99%.

Conclusions: This easy-to-implement program improves diets and activity levels. Local providers should offer more such programs with the goal of enabling older Americans to take simple steps toward successful aging.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. US Administration on Aging. Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. Available at: http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/nutrition/nutrition.asp. Accessed January 19, 2007.
    1. Wellman NS, Rosenzweig LY, Lloyd JL. Thirty years of the Older Americans Nutrition Program. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:348–350. - PubMed
    1. Ponza M, Ohls JC, Millen BE. Serving Elders at Risk, the Older Americans Act Nutrition Programs: National Evaluation of the Elderly Nutrition Program 1993–1995, Volume I: Title III Evaluation Findings. Washington, DC: Mathematica Policy Research Inc; 1996.
    1. Wellman NS, Kamp B, Weddle DO, et al. Eat Better & Move More: A Guidebook for Community Programs. Miami, Fla: National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Aging; 2004.
    1. US Administration on Aging. You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging campaign. Available at: http://www.aoa.gov/youcan. Accessed December 30, 2006.

Publication types