Promoting physical activity for low-income minority women in primary care.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of a primary-care weight management intervention on physical activity (PA) among overweight/obese women.


METHODS
This randomized controlled trial included 139 women (92% African American). The effects of a physician-delivered tailored intervention were compared with standard care. Repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine changes in PA (measured by a 7-day physical activity recall) and physical fitness (measured by heart rate recovery following exercise).


RESULTS
Although the intervention group demonstrated an increase in PA, this did not differ significantly from standard care. A significantly greater proportion of intervention participants (90%) achieved current PA recommendations compared with standard care (77%), P<.03.


CONCLUSIONS
These results provide novel information suggesting that a physician-delivered intervention may have limited effectiveness for increasing PA among this at-risk population.
Dutton
Gareth R
GR
Florida State University College of Medicine, Department of Medical Humanities & Social Sciences, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA. gareth.dutton@med.fsu.edu
Davis Martin
Pamela
P
Welsch
Michael A
MA
Brantley
Phillip J
PJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors