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Text Messaging: An Intervention to Increase Physical Activity among African American Participants in a Faith-Based, Competitive Weight Loss Program

Author

Listed:
  • Pamela McCoy

    (School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

  • Sophia Leggett

    (School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

  • Azad Bhuiyan

    (School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

  • David Brown

    (College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32827, USA)

  • Patricia Frye

    (School of Public Health, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

  • Bryman Williams

    (College of Liberal Arts, Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217, USA)

Abstract

African American adults are less likely to meet the recommended physical activity guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity than Caucasian adults. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a text message intervention would increase physical activity in this population. This pilot study used a pre-/post-questionnaire non-randomized design. Participants in a faith-based weight loss competition who agreed to participate in the text messaging were assigned to the intervention group ( n = 52). Participants who declined to participate in the intervention, but agreed to participate in the study, were assigned to the control group ( n = 30). The text messages provided strategies for increasing physical activity and were based on constructs of the Health Belief Model and the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model. Chi square tests determined the intervention group participants increased exercise time by approximately eight percent ( p = 0.03), while the control group’s exercise time remained constant. The intervention group increased walking and running. The control group increased running. Most participants indicated that the health text messages were effective. The results of this pilot study suggest that text messaging may be an effective method for providing options for motivating individuals to increase physical activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Pamela McCoy & Sophia Leggett & Azad Bhuiyan & David Brown & Patricia Frye & Bryman Williams, 2017. "Text Messaging: An Intervention to Increase Physical Activity among African American Participants in a Faith-Based, Competitive Weight Loss Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-12, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:4:p:326-:d:94400
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rodney P. Joseph & Michael Todd & Barbara E. Ainsworth & Sonia Vega-López & Marc A. Adams & Kevin Hollingshead & Steven P. Hooker & Glenn A. Gaesser & Colleen Keller, 2023. "Smart Walk : A Culturally Tailored Smartphone-Delivered Physical Activity Intervention for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction among African American Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-25, January.
    2. Yue Liao & Kyrah K. Brown, 2022. "Usage of Digital Health Tools and Perception of mHealth Intervention for Physical Activity and Sleep in Black Women," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-14, January.
    3. Tomoya Yuasa & Fumiko Harada & Hiromitsu Shimakawa, 2022. "Estimation of Behavior Change Stage from Walking Information and Improvement of Walking Volume by Message Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-16, February.

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