Keep Active Minnesota Trial: A Study on Maintaining Physical Activity in Older Adults
Author Information
Author(s): Nancy E. Sherwood, Brian C. Martinson, A. Lauren Crain, Marcia G. Hayes, Nicolaas P. Pronk, Patrick J. O'Connor
Primary Institution: HealthPartners Research Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Hypothesis
Can an interactive phone- and mail-based intervention help older adults maintain their physical activity levels over a 24-month period?
Conclusion
The Keep Active Minnesota study aims to help older adults maintain their physical activity levels, potentially reducing the risk of returning to a sedentary lifestyle.
Supporting Evidence
- More than half of older adults who start exercising stop within three months.
- The intervention focuses on maintaining physical activity rather than just starting it.
- Participants were recruited from a large managed care organization.
Takeaway
This study is trying to help older people keep moving and stay active for a long time, so they don't go back to being couch potatoes.
Methodology
A randomized controlled trial comparing an interactive phone- and mail-based intervention to usual care over 24 months.
Limitations
The study may not be generalizable to a broader population due to its focus on 50–70 year olds and limited racial/ethnic diversity.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily 50–70 years old, mostly female, White, and college-educated.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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