Active Moms Project: Physical Activity Intervention for Low-Income Mothers

California State University, Long Beach

Status: Completed

Conditions: Physical Inactivity

Treatments: Behavioral: Home-based intervention; Behavioral: Community-based intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05540509

PHS 11-252

Details and patient eligibility

About

Despite the health benefits of physical activity, increasing regular physical activity levels among low-income, ethnic-minority mothers has remained a significant challenge. The current mixed-methods feasibility study explored the impact that a three-month community-based (CBI) and a home-based intervention (HBI) had on improving physical activity and fitness levels, as well as psychosocial outcomes (self-efficacy and social support) among low-income, ethnic-minority mothers. These results support the efficacy of CBIs and HBIs in improving PA and fitness levels and have important implications for improving health outcomes among low-income, ethnic-minority mothers.

Full description

Despite the health benefits of physical activity, increasing regular physical activity levels among low-income, ethnic-minority mothers has remained a significant challenge. Yet, few studies have examined the feasibility of implementing interventions to address physical activity barriers often experienced by this population. The current mixed-methods feasibility study explored the impact that a three-month community-based (CBI) and a home-based intervention (HBI) had on improving physical activity and fitness levels, as well as psychosocial outcomes (self-efficacy and social support) among low-income, ethnic-minority mothers. Thirty mothers were randomized to either a three-month community-based intervention (CBI) or a home-based intervention (HBI) and completed pre- and post-intervention assessments of physical activity (self-report, accelerometer), fitness (cardiorespiratory, muscle endurance and strength, flexibility), self-efficacy, and social support. Post-intervention focus groups were also conducted. Through formative research, this pilot work will develop and empirically test a CBI and HBI among low-income mothers for use in local community centers. The results of the proposed work have substantial public health implications and are expected to advance the investigator's understanding of how low-income mothers effectively use these intervention modalities to adopt healthy behaviors and produce change that can positively impact their health, as well as that of their children. Further, the proposed research will yield two physical activity interventions that can be readily delivered in community settings, are scalable, and are relatively low cost. Finally, these results will help identify those subgroups of mothers that may do particularly well (or poorly) with these innovative approaches to physical activity adoption and maintenance. This has important implications for the tailoring of physical activity programs to individual needs and preferences.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 18 years of age or older
• a mother of a young child (<10 years of age)
• fluent in either Spanish or English
• Sedentary (i.e., not engaging in 90 minutes or more of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week)

Exclusion criteria

• Not medically cleared by a doctor or by a medical history screener to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity
• Currently pregnant

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Community-based intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This program consisted of 12 group exercise sessions over a three-month period that were offered in Spanish and English. Each two-hour session consisted of 90 minutes of flexibility, cardiovascular, and strength exercises to meet physical activity recommendations and 30 minutes of group discussions that focused on topics related to the adoption and maintenance of physical activity.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Community-based intervention

Home-based intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Mothers randomized to the HBI group participated in a three-month program where they were given print-based materials (offered in Spanish or English) at each monthly assessment time point. The print-based materials provided information on multiple cardiovascular, strength training, and flexibility exercises that they could do at home.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Home-based intervention