Spanish-speaking Latinas have some of the lowest rates of meeting physical activity guidelines in the U.S. and are at high risk for many related chronic diseases. The purpose of the current study was to examine the maintenance of a culturally and individually-tailored Internet-based physical activity intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinas. Inactive Latinas (N  =  205) were randomly assigned to a 6-month Tailored Physical Activity Internet Intervention or a Wellness Contact Control Internet Group, with a 6-month follow-up. Maintenance was measured by assessing group differences in minutes per week of self-reported and accelerometer measured moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at 12 months after baseline and changes in MVPA between the end of the active intervention (month 6) and the end of the study (month 12). Potential moderators of the intervention were also examined. Data were collected between 2011 and 2014, and were analyzed in 2015 at the University of California, San Diego. The Intervention Group engaged in significantly more minutes of MVPA per week than the Control Group at the end of the maintenance period for both self-reported (mean diff. = 30.68, SE = 11.27, p = .007) and accelerometer measured (mean diff. = 11.47, SE = 3.19, p = .01) MVPA. There were no significant between- or within-group changes in MVPA from month 6 to 12. Greater intervention effects were seen for those with lower BMI (BMI × intervention = -6.67, SE = 2.88, p = .02) and lower perceived places to walk to in their neighborhood (access × intervention = -43.25, SE = 19.07, p = .02), with a trend for less family support (social support × intervention = -3.49, SE = 2.05, p = .08). Acculturation, health literacy, and physical activity related psychosocial variables were not significant moderators of the intervention effect during the maintenance period. Findings from the current study support the efficacy of an Internet-delivered individually tailored intervention for maintenance of MVPA gains over time.

Spanish-speaking Latinas have some of the lowest rates of meeting physical activity guidelines in the U.S. and are at high risk for many related chronic diseases. The purpose of the current study was to examine the maintenance of a culturally and individually-tailored Internet-based physical activity intervention for Spanish-speaking Latinas. Inactive Latinas (N  =  205) were randomly assigned to a 6-month Tailored Physical Activity Internet Intervention or a Wellness Contact Control Internet Group, with a 6-month follow-up. Maintenance was measured by assessing group differences in minutes per week of self-reported and accelerometer measured moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at 12 months after baseline and changes in MVPA between the end of the active intervention (month 6) and the end of the study (month 12). Potential moderators of the intervention were also examined. Data were collected between 2011 and 2014, and were analyzed in 2015 at the University of California, San Diego. The Intervention Group engaged in significantly more minutes of MVPA per week than the Control Group at the end of the maintenance period for both self-reported (mean diff. = 30.68, SE = 11.27, p = .007) and accelerometer measured (mean diff. = 11.47, SE = 3.19, p = .01) MVPA. There were no significant between- or within-group changes in MVPA from month 6 to 12. Greater intervention effects were seen for those with lower BMI (BMI × intervention = -6.67, SE = 2.88, p = .02) and lower perceived places to walk to in their neighborhood (access × intervention = -43.25, SE = 19.07, p = .02), with a trend for less family support (social support × intervention = -3.49, SE = 2.05, p = .08). Acculturation, health literacy, and physical activity related psychosocial variables were not significant moderators of the intervention effect during the maintenance period. Findings from the current study support the efficacy of an Internet-delivered individually tailored intervention for maintenance of MVPA gains over time.

Climate change poses serious threats to public health and is exacerbating health inequities. Policy changes are essential to mitigate climate change impacts on human and planetary health. The purpose was to describe recommendations by the Policy and Advocacy Subgroup of the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM) Climate Change, Behavior Change and Health Presidential Working Group (PWG). The Policy and Advocacy subgroup was comprised of experts in public health, climate policy, and health behavior change, who worked together to identify priorities and develop recommendations. We worked under the premise that building political will for climate policy action is the most urgent goal, and we recommended promotion of citizen advocacy for this purpose. Because citizen advocacy is a set of behaviors, SBM members can use behavioral science to identify and scale up interventions, working collaboratively with communities targeted for marginalization. Recommendations for SBM included establishing an organizational home for climate and health work, providing training and resources, engaging in climate advocacy as an organization, and networking with other organizations. Recommendations for a proposed SBM Climate and Health Committee, Council, or Special Interest Group included developing trainings and resources, seeking opportunities for networking and collaborations, and identifying a research agenda. Individual behavior changes are insufficient to address climate change; policy actions are needed. SBM and similar organizations can support their members to work in developing, evaluating, and scaling up advocacy interventions for action on climate policy to magnify the power of the health and medical sectors to protect planetary and human health.

Latinas report disproportionately low physical activity (PA) levels and related health conditions. Reducing chronic disease in Latinas requires interventions to increase and maintain health-enhancing PA levels; yet limited intervention studies have examined PA maintenance among Latinas. The present study evaluated the efficacy during the maintenance phase (months 6-12) of the Enhanced PA intervention for Latina adults in Seamos Activas II compared to the Original PA Intervention. Seamos Activas II was conducted in San Diego, California from 2015 to 2020. Underactive adult Latina women (N = 199), mainly of Mexican descent (89%) were randomized to the original intervention or a theory- and technology-enhanced intervention. Their PA was measured objectively (via accelerometers) and via self-report at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Quantile regression models assessed treatment effects on min/week of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at 12 months. Generalized linear models examined treatment effects on indicators of meeting 2008 National PA Guidelines. Both groups maintained the significant gains in MVPA they had made during the first 6 months of the intervention, neither increasing nor decreasing their MVPA over the maintenance period, with no significant between-group differences. At 12 months, 46.3% of Enhanced Intervention participants were meeting self-reported PA guidelines (vs 35.6 % of the Original PA Intervention arm, p = .02). Even with minimal contact throughout the maintenance phase, participants maintained their MVPA, which underscores the importance of continued use of evidence-based behavior change tools and techniques to reinforce newly established habits. Theoretical and technological enhancements may help Latinas to continue meeting PA guidelines during maintenance periods.

Background

Internet access has grown markedly in Latinos during the past decade. However, there have been no Internet-based physical activity interventions designed for Latinos, despite large disparities in lifestyle-related conditions, such as obesity and diabetes, particularly in Latina women. The current study tested the efficacy of a 6-month culturally adapted, individually tailored, Spanish-language Internet-based physical activity intervention.

Methods

Inactive Latinas (N = 205) were randomly assigned to the Tailored Physical Activity Internet Intervention or the Wellness Contact Control Internet Group. Participants in both groups received emails on a tapered schedule over 6 months to alert them to new content on the website. The primary outcome was minutes/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at 6 months as measured by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall; activity was also measured by accelerometers. Data were collected between 2011 and 2014 and analyzed in 2015 at the University of California, San Diego.

Results

Increases in minutes/week of MVPA were significantly greater in the Intervention Group compared to the Control Group (mean difference = 50.00, SE = 9.5, p < 0.01). Increases in objectively measured MVPA were also significantly larger in the Intervention Group (mean differences = 31.0, SE = 10.7, p < .01). The Intervention Group was also significantly more likely to meet national physical activity guidelines at 6 months (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.46-6.66, p < .05).

Conclusion

Findings from the current study suggest that this Internet-delivered individually tailored intervention successfully increased MVPA in Latinas compared to a Wellness Contact Control Internet Group.

Trial registration

NCT01834287.

Introduction

Latino men experience disproportionately high rates of diseases related to low physical activity, yet they are poorly represented in physical activity intervention trials. Efforts to promote physical activity in Latina women show promising results, yet such interventions are yet to be extended to Latino men. This study tested a computer expert system‒tailored, text messaging-supported physical activity intervention for underactive Spanish-speaking Latino men compared with a control group matched for contact time. Potential predictors of intervention success were also explored.

Study design

Randomized trial. Participants were randomized to receive a Tailored Physical Activity Intervention (Intervention) or a Wellness Control (Control). Data were collected in 2015-2017 and analyzed in 2018-2019.

Setting/participants

Insufficiently active Latino men (n=46).

Intervention

Intervention participants received a baseline counseling session and then, individually tailored print materials and text messages on a tapered schedule for 6 months. Control participants received printed wellness materials and text messages on the same schedule.

Main outcome measures

Primary outcome was a change in weekly moderate to vigorous physical activity from baseline to 6 months measured by accelerometers. Self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity measured by the 7-day Physical Activity Recall Interview was a secondary outcome.

Results

For Intervention participants, median accelerometer-measured moderate to vigorous physical activity increased from 10.0 minutes/week at baseline to 57.5 minutes/week at 6 months, whereas for Control participants, it increased from 21.0 minutes/week at baseline to 23.0 minutes/week at 6 months (p<0.05). Similar results were found for self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity. At 6 months, 47% of Intervention participants met national guidelines of 150 minutes/week versus 25% of Control participants (p=0.15, not significant).

Conclusions

Findings suggest that an individually tailored intervention can successfully increase moderate to vigorous physical activity in underactive Latino men. Such technology-supported interventions have the potential for broad dissemination.

Trial registration

This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02512419.