Can individuals meet multiple physical activity and dietary behavior goals?
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether participants with the most behavioral goals to achieve were more likely to meet more goals than those given fewer goals.


METHODS
Eight hundred ten participants were randomly assigned to advice-only, established guidelines for blood pressure control (reduced sodium, increased physical activity), or established guidelines plus the DASH diet (increased fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, reduced fat).


RESULTS
At 6 months, 11.7% of Advice-Only, 19.3% of Established, and 44.6% of Established plus DASH met at least 3 goals (P<0.0001). At 18 months, 33.5% of Established plus DASH met at least 3 goals.


CONCLUSIONS
Those with the most goals to achieve reached the most goals.
Young
Deborah Rohm
DR
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland, School of Public Health, College Park, MD 20742, USA. DRYoung@umd.edu
Vollmer
William M
WM
King
Abby C
AC
Brown
Ann J
AJ
Stevens
Victor J
VJ
Elmer
Patricia J
PJ
Craddick
Shirley
S
Sturtevant
Dana L
DL
Harsha
David W
DW
Appel
Lawrence J
LJ
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015431:Weight Loss