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Healthy for Life: A Randomized Trial Examining Physical Activity Outcomes and Psychosocial Mediators

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Researchers theorize that interventions increase physical activity by influencing key theory-based mediators (e.g., behavioral processes). However, few studies have been adequately powered to examine the importance of mediators.

Purpose

This study examined both physical activity behavior and psychosocial mediators in a randomized trial specifically powered to detect mediation.

Methods

Healthy, sedentary adults (n = 448; 70 % Caucasian, 87 % women, mean age was 43) were randomly assigned to either a 6-month print-based theory tailored physical activity intervention (n = 224) or a 6-month health/wellness contact control arm (n = 224).

Results

The print intervention arm exhibited greater increases in physical activity than the control arm at 6 and 12 months (p < .05). Additionally, behavioral processes were found to be an important mediator of physical activity behavior.

Conclusions

It is important for researchers and practitioners to focus on increasing behavioral strategies for physical activity adoption. Future studies should examine other potential mediators of physical activity.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported through a grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01 HL72947). The authors would like to acknowledge the incredible work by the research assistants including Kris Nozal and Jane Wheeler and the data programmer Alexander Kravchik. We would also like to thank the study participants without whom this study would not have been possible.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, 1900 University Ave SE, Cooke Hall, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Beth A. Lewis Ph.D.

  2. Brown University, Box G-S121-8, Providence, RI, 02912, USA

    David M. Williams Ph.D.

  3. HealthPartners Research Foundation, Mail Stop: 21111R, 8170 33rd Avenue South, P.O. Box 1524, Minneapolis, MN, 55440-1524, USA

    Brian C. Martinson Ph.D.

  4. The Miriam Hospital & Brown Medical School, Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine, Coro Building East, 167 Pine St, Suite 1B, Providence, RI, 02903, USA

    Shira Dunsiger Ph.D.

  5. University of California, San Diego, UCSD School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA

    Bess H. Marcus Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Beth A. Lewis Ph.D.
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  2. David M. Williams Ph.D.
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  3. Brian C. Martinson Ph.D.
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  4. Shira Dunsiger Ph.D.
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  5. Bess H. Marcus Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Beth A. Lewis Ph.D..

Additional information

Trial Registration Number: NCT00142688

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Cite this article

Lewis, B.A., Williams, D.M., Martinson, B.C. et al. Healthy for Life: A Randomized Trial Examining Physical Activity Outcomes and Psychosocial Mediators. ann. behav. med. 45, 203–212 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9439-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9439-5

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