title: Women bound to be active: differences in long-term physical activity between completers and noncompleters of a book club intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ideal approaches to increasing long-term physical activity (PA) adherence in women remain unclear. This study used a longitudinal mixed-methods approach to 1) determine the effectiveness of an 8-month book club intervention for increasing PA participation and self-worth, and reducing barriers at 1-year followup; and 2) identify reasons why completers and noncompleters did or did not maintain PA.
  
  
  METHODS
  One year after the cessation of Women Bound to be Active (WBA), completers (participated in posttesting; n = 30) and noncompleters (did not participate in posttesting; n = 22) responded to questionnaires and interviews assessing their body mass index (BMI), current PA participation, barriers, and global self-worth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with noncompleters, completers reported decreases in BMI, higher motivation for PA, higher ratio of benefits to barriers, and more consistent PA. Both groups still reported barriers to PA, especially time; however, completers more often reported strategies for overcoming these barriers. Completers more directly discussed the impact of their improved self-worth on their PA participation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the future, a greater focus on time management and self-regulation strategies should be emphasized in PA interventions, specifically those that focus on women. This may help to prevent program and long-term PA attrition.
authors: School of Nutrition and Health Promotion, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors: Jennifer L
authors: JL
authors: Huberty
authors: Diane
authors: D
authors: Ehlers
authors: Jason
authors: J
authors: Coleman
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Gao
authors: Steriani
authors: S
authors: Elavsky
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D001877:Books; D003710:Demography; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010358:Patient Participation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires