Sara Wilcox ^1*, Marsha Dowda ¹, Sarah F. Griffin ¹, Carol Rheaume ¹, Marcia G. Ory ², Laura Leviton ³, Abby C. King ⁴, Andrea Dunn ⁵, David M. Buchner ⁶, Terry Bazzarre ³, Paul A. Estabrooks ⁷, Kimberly Campbell-Voytal ⁸, Jenny Bartlett-Prescott ⁹, Diane Dowdy ², Cynthia M. Castro ⁴, Ruth Ann Carpenter ¹⁰, David A. Dzewaltowski ¹¹, Robin Mockenhaupt ³

¹ University of South Carolina
² Texas A&M University System
³ The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
⁴ Stanford University School of Medicine
⁵ Klein Buendel, Inc.
⁶ The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
⁷ Kaiser Permanente-Colorado
⁸ Greater Detroit Area Health Council and Wayne State University
⁹ The Church Health Center
¹⁰ The Cooper Institute
¹¹ Kansas State University

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: wilcoxs{at}gwm.sc.edu.

	Abstract

Objectives. Translating efficacious interventions into practice within community settings is a major public health challenge. We evaluated the effects of 2 evidence-based physical activity interventions on self-reported physical activity and related outcomes in midlife and older adults.

Methods. Four community-based organizations implemented Active Choices, a 6-month, telephone-based program, and 5 implemented Active Living Every Day, a 20-week, group-based program. Both programs emphasize behavioral skills necessary to become more physically active. Participants completed pretest and posttest surveys.

Results. Participants (n=838) were aged an average of 68.4 ± 9.4 years, 80.6% were women, and 64.1% were non-Hispanic White. Seventy-two percent returned posttest surveys. Intent-to-treat analyses found statistically significant increases in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and total physical activity, decreases in depressive symptoms and stress, increases in satisfaction with body appearance and function, and decreases in body mass index.

Conclusions. The first year of Active for Life demonstrated that Active Choices and Active Living Every Day, 2 evidence-based physical activity programs, can be successfully translated into community settings with diverse populations. Further, the magnitudes of change in outcomes were similar to those reported in the efficacy trials.

Key Words: Aging, Exercise/Physical Activity, Health Promotion

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