BACKGROUND: Older minority populations can benefit from increased physical activity, especially walking. Text messaging interventions have the potential to encourage positive changes in health behavior in these groups. PURPOSE: To examine if a 6-week program of motivational text messaging increases physical activity (step count) among older African Americans in an urban setting. DESIGN: RCT pilot study with assignment to motivational text messaging group or a control group. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six African Americans aged 60 to 85 years. INTERVENTION: The intervention group received motivational text messages three times a day, 3 days a week, for 6 weeks. Both groups received pedometers and walking manuals to record step counts. The study was conducted and data were analyzed in 2011. Main outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was step count. The secondary outcome measure was perceived activity levels assessed by the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ). RESULTS: The group who received motivational text messages had greater improvements in step count (+679 versus +398; p < 0.05) and perceived activity levels (p < 0.05) than the group who did not receive text messages. CONCLUSIONS: Motivational text messaging three times a week for 6 weeks was effective in increasing step count and self-reported leisure time exercise behavior among older African Americans. REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01697475.

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