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Grant
Opportunities & Assistance
The
National Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging at Florida
International University encourages the Aging Network to use Steps
to Healthy Aging: Eating Better and Moving More, including
the program format, logo, brochure and Guidebook.
Kindly acknowledge the FIU Center and provide a complimentary copy of
the final material to the Center upon publication. If you choose to develop
your own materials, please contact the FIU Center to discuss your proposed
project and allow the Center to review materials prior to publication.
The Center
is interested in working collaboratively with states, area agencies, and
local programs/providers as consultant or subcontractor in the development
of proposals to funding agencies/foundations to implement the Steps
for Healthy Aging: Eating Better and Moving More projects.
Abstract:
Silver HJ, Wellman NS, Cuervo L. Using pedometers to promote walking activity
in community dwelling Hispanic older Americans: a steps to healthy aging
pilot project. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:A-61.
TITLE:
USING PEDOMETERS TO PROMOTE WALKING ACTIVITY IN COMMUNITY DWELLING HISPANIC
OLDER AMERICANS: A STEPS TO HEALTHY AGING PILOT PROJECT
AUTHOR(S):
H.J. Silver, PhD, RD; N.S. Wellman, PhD, RD, FADA; L. Cuervo; National
Policy and Resource Center on Nutrition and Aging, Florida International
University, Miami, FL
LEARNING
OUTCOME:
To increase awareness of using pedometers as a simple strategy to promote
physical activity in low-income participants of Older Americans Act Nutrition
Programs.
TEXT:
Overweight and obesity, prevalent among community-dwelling older adults,
increase risk for comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Excess bodyweight contributes to functional impairments and may be related
to premature mortality. Physical activity is a means of weight management
as well as preventing and/or treating symptoms of chronic diseases. A
digital pedometer is a low-cost, user-friendly tool to monitor walking
activity. Participants were 31 female and 10 male Cuban Americans aged
61 to 92 years (mean, 72 ± 7 years) who attend an Older Americans
Act Nutrition Program in Miami. Seventy-seven percent were overweight
or obese; average BMI was 29 ± 4. Twenty (56%) had arthritis, 17
(47%) cardiovascular diseases, and 5 (14%) diabetes. Participants wore
an AccusplitTM pedometer daily for 10 weeks. They reset the pedometer
each morning and recorded total number of steps walked daily on activity
logs each night. Step logs were submitted weekly at group education sessions
conducted at the congregate dining site. Other compliance techniques were
in-person reminders to attend sessions and distributing incentives including
pens, magnets, and cups. Session topics targeted increasing daily walking
activity and preventing chronic disease. Six participants dropped out.
Compliance rate for wearing the pedometer and submitting weekly step logs
was 89%. Average steps walked daily increased by 73% from baseline to
completion. Although not a representative sample, this Steps to Healthy
Aging project demonstrates that a community-based physical activity intervention
with a low-income minority population can be successfully implemented
and help meet the nation's Healthy People 2010 objectives.
Last updated:
05/14/2004
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