Obesity Abstracts

Background: Physical activity (PA) is an effective method of weight management. However, engagement in PA decreases with age, particularly among women who live in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and have a high risk of obesity. The use of existing social networks may offer a way to engage ‘hard-to-reach’ populations in PA interventions, but research is sparse. Using the Medical Research Council guidelines for complex interventions, we developed and tested the feasibility of a PA-promoting intervention for older women within existing community groups in socio-economically disadvantaged areas.

Methods: Participants (n=40) were recruited from older (aged ≥50 years) women’s groups from four different community centres. A 12-week programme was delivered using a parallel-group delayed intervention design during existing group sessions, informed by Social Practice Theory. Sessions provided education about PA, facilitation of social support (PA ‘buddy’, group discussion and follow-up telephone calls), and printed information about local PA opportunities. The study investigated rates of participant recruitment, retention, and completion of PA (accelerometry) and assessed mental health (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)) at four time-points. Intervention acceptability was assessed by questionnaire and participant focus group interviews, using framework analysis.

Results: Recruitment was high; 87% (40/46) of women attending the groups consented to participate, and 78% (31/40) attended all education sessions. Few participants provided valid accelerometer data (20%; 8/40) at all follow-up time-points, but 63% (25/40) completed all HADS questionnaires. The informal delivery of education sessions and printed materials were viewed positively, but telephone calls and ‘buddy’ support had low uptake and were not valued. Whilst participants disliked wearing a waist accelerometer, they thought that regular PA feedback would facilitate useful goal-setting. They perceived that organised group activities would encourage increased PA engagement.

Conclusions: High recruitment and retention rates suggest that using existing social support groups is an attractive and acceptable method of delivering a health promotion intervention to this population, which could assist with weight management. A randomised controlled trial appears feasible, with refinement of the social support component, facilitation of goal-setting, reconsideration of PA assessment methods and inclusion of weight measurement.

Keywords: Community-based, older women, physical activity

Disclosures: None.