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
. 2013;17(5):486-91.
doi: 10.1007/s12603-012-0433-1.

Sustainability of a physical activity and nutrition program for seniors

M Pasalich  1 , A H Lee, J Jancey, L Burke, P Howat
Affiliations

Sustainability of a physical activity and nutrition program for seniors

M Pasalich et al. J Nutr Health Aging. 2013.

Abstract

Objective: This prospective cohort study aimed to determine the impact of a low cost, home-based physical activity and nutrition program for older adults at 6 months follow-up.

Design: A follow-up survey was conducted 6 months after program completion via computer-assisted telephone interviewing. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Fat and Fibre Barometer were used to measure physical activity levels and dietary behaviours, respectively. Self-reported height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were obtained. Changes over three time points of data collection (baseline, post-program, follow-up) and differences between the intervention and control groups were assessed. The use of program materials was also evaluated.

Setting: Community and home-based.

Participants: Insufficiently active 60 to 70 year olds (n = 176, intervention and n = 198, control) residing in suburbs within the Perth metropolitan area.

Results: A sustained improvement was observed for the intervention group in terms of fat avoidance behaviours (p interaction = .007). Significant improvements were found for strength exercises, fibre intake, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio at either post-program or follow-up, however the overall effect was not significant. At post-program, the intervention group increased time spent participating in moderate activity by 50 minutes (p > .05), which was followed by a significant decline at follow-up (p < .05). Among intervention group participants, males and females differed with respect to strength exercises and moderate physical activity.

Conclusion: This low-cost physical activity and nutrition intervention resulted in a sustained improvement in fat avoidance behaviours and overall short-term gains in physical activity. Future studies for older adults are recommended to investigate gender-specific behavioural barriers as well as booster interventions which focus on physical activity.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Follow-up of intervention participants and controls who had completed both baseline and post-program questionnaires
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. National Center for Chronic Disease PreventionHealth Promotion. Nutrition and physical activity — helping people choose healthy eating and active living. Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, Obesity; Atlanta (GA): 2011.
    1. Bellow A, Epstein J, Parikh-Patel A. Lifestyle behaviors associated with secondary prevention of coronary heart disease among California adults. Prev Chronic Dis. 2011;8(2):A31. PubMed PMID: 21324245. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Miller R, Sales A, Kopjar B, Fihn S, Bryson C. Adherence to heart-healthy behaviors in a sample of the U.S. population. Prev Chronic Dis. 2005;2(2):A18. PubMed PMID: 15888229. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Greaney M, Riebe D, Ewing Garber C, Rossi J, Lees F, Burbank P, Nigg C, et al. Long-term effects of a stage-based intervention for changing exercise intentions and behavior in older adults. Gerontologist. 2008;48(3):358–367. 10.1093/geront/48.3.358 PubMed PMID: 18591361. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Greene G, Fey-Yensan N, Padula C, Rossi S, Rossi J, Clark P. Change in fruit and vegetable intake over 24 months in older adults: results of the SENIOR project intervention. Gerontologist. 2008;48(3):378–387. 10.1093/geront/48.3.378 PubMed PMID: 18591363. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms