title: Disseminating a Clinically Effective Physical Activity Program to Preserve Mobility in a Community Setting for Older Adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  As the population of older adults continues to increase, the dissemination of strategies to maintain independence of older persons is of critical public health importance. Recent large-scale clinical trial evidence has definitively shown intervention of moderate-intensity physical activity (PA) reduces major mobility disability in at-risk older adults. However, it remains unknown whether structured PA interventions, with demonstrated efficacy in controlled, clinical environments, can be successfully disseminated into community settings to benefit wider populations of older adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the dissemination of an evidence-based PA program for older adults by evaluating program participation and its impact on mobility, strength and quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  An urban senior center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty older adults (71.2 ± 8 years aged; BMI: 30.1 ± 7 kg/m2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Average of 8.0 ± 1.8 months of participation in the Fit-4-Life Program, a community-based PA and nutrition counseling intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mobility (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)), self-reported physical activity (CHAMPS questionnaire), leg strength, grip strength, and quality of life (Quality of Well-Being Self-Administered (QWB-SA) scale) were assessed at baseline and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean attendance was 55.8%. Fourteen participants were lost to follow-up. Those who dropped-out engaged in less PA at baseline (78 ± 108 mins/wk) compared to those who completed follow-up (203 ± 177 mins/wk, P=0.01). Participants exhibited sustained increases of PA (65 ± 153 mins/wk, P= 0.08), and there were meaningful improvements in SPPB (0.5 ± 0.2, P< 0.01), knee extensor strength (2.6 ± 4.4 kg, P< 0.01) and QWB-SA (0.04 ± 0.09, P= 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dissemination of a clinically efficacious PA intervention into a community-based setting can improve mobility, strength and quality of life for older adults. This knowledge may be helpful for the design and implementation of larger-scale PA intervention studies designed to preserve mobility in older adults within community-based settings.
authors.affiliation: Kieran Reid, PhD, MPH, Nutrition, Exercise Physiology and Sarcopenia Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, USA, Phone: +1-617-556-3081, Fax: +1-617-556-3083, E-mail: kieran.reid@tufts.edu.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laussen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kowaleski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Fielding
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior