title: Eat better & move more: a community-based program designed to improve diets and increase physical activity among older Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed outcomes of an integrated nutrition and exercise program designed for Older Americans Act Nutrition Program participants as part of the Administration on Aging's You Can! campaign.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10-site intervention study was conducted. Preintervention and postintervention assessments focused on nutrition and physical activity stages of change, self-reported health status, dietary intakes, physical activity, and program satisfaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 999 enrollees, the 620 who completed the program were aged 74.6 years on average; 82% were women, and 41% were members of racial/ethnic minority groups. Factors associated with program completion were site, health conditions, and nutrition risk. Seventy-three percent and 75% of participants, respectively, made a significant advance of 1 or more nutrition and physical activity stages of change; 24% reported improved health status. Daily intake of fruit increased 1 or more servings among 31% of participants; vegetables, 37%; and fiber, 33%. Daily steps increased 35%; blocks walked, 45%; and stairs climbed, 24%. Program satisfaction was 99%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This easy-to-implement program improves diets and activity levels. Local providers should offer more such programs with the goal of enabling older Americans to take simple steps toward successful aging.
authors.affiliation: National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Aging, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Stempel School of Public Health, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA. nancy.wellman@fiu.edu
authors.forename: Nancy S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Wellman
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kamp
authors.forename: Neva J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kirk-Sanchez
authors.forename: Paulette M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D014675:Vegetables