BACKGROUND: Sedentary mothers are important to reach with physical activity promotion. PURPOSE: This study pilot tested "Moms on the Move", a transtheoretical model (TTM)-derived physical activity (PA) intervention for low-income mothers enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. METHOD: Sedentary mothers (N = 44) were randomized to (a) Moms on the Move (PA intervention) or (b) counseling on self-breast examination (control). Pre- and posttest measurement (baseline and 2 weeks after the 8-week interventions) included (a) stage of PA behavior change, (b) PA behavior, (c) selected TTM constructs, and (d) social support. Pre- and postdifference scores, Chi-square, and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) were used. RESULTS: The experimental group progressed in stage of change more than control, Chi2 (1, N = 44) = 20.50, p < 0.001. The experimental group had greater PA behavior: weekly minutes of PA, F[1,42] = 46.85, p < 0.001; daily energy expenditure (EE), F[1,42] = 23.01, p < 0.001; and weekly moderate PA EE, F[1,42] = 32.63, p < 0.001. Experimental subgroup (n = 11) step counts increased pre-post, t[10] = 6.16, p < 0.001. An ANOVA showed that the experimental group had greater improvements in all TTM constructs and social support, ps < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: WIC mothers are at risk for sedentary living and have not been targeted for PA behavior change using a provider-counseled approach. Although further testing is needed, Moms on the Move appears to be efficacious.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher