A Program to Increase Physical Activity Among Blacks

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate three different approaches for increasing physical activity in African American women who are not currently doing enough physical activity. One approach will teach people about physical activity, in groups, using general principles (general physical activity program). The second approach will teach people about physical activity, in groups, using principles from the bible (faith-based physical activity program). The third approach will teach people about physical activity by giving them written materials created at the National Institutes of Health (control group). Control groups are used in research studies to see if the program being studied really does have an effect on physical activity. At the end of the study, people in the control group will also participate in either the general physical activity program or the faith-based physical activity program.

Conditions

• Physical Activity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Faith-based

The faith-based intervention will include 24 group sessions. Sessions 1 - 16 will occur weekly, sessions 17 - 20 will occur bi-weekly, and sessions 21 - 24 will occur monthly. Sessions will be scheduled to last for 90 minutes each. This will include a 30-minute physical activity session (led by a trained exercise leader) and 60 minutes of group discussion (led by a Community Health Worker trained in group facilitation, familiarity with theology and health ministry education, and experience implementing group-based activities in faith settings). Group discussion content will be standardized to ensure consistent delivery. All items will be delivered with biblical references to further guide the participants.

BEHAVIORAL

Non-faith-based

The non-faith based intervention will include 24 group sessions. Sessions 1 - 16 will occur weekly, sessions 17 - 20 will occur bi-weekly, and sessions 21 - 24 will occur monthly. Sessions will be scheduled to last for 90 minutes each. This will include a 30-minute physical activity session (led by a trained exercise leader) and 60 minutes of group discussion (led by a Community Health Worker trained in group facilitation, familiarity with theology and health ministry education, and experience implementing group-based activities in faith settings). Group discussion content will be standardized to ensure consistent delivery. All items will be delivered without biblical references as in the faith-based intervention.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  collaborator OTHER

• Montana State University

  collaborator OTHER

• Kaiser Permanente

  collaborator OTHER

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

  collaborator NIH

• Melicia Whitt-Glover

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Melicia C Whitt-Glover, Ph.D. · Gramercy Research Group

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

90 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2009-07-31

Primary Completion

2014-12-31

Completion

2014-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations