Mindful Walking Intervention for Physical Inactivity

Mindfulness Training for Adults With Physical Inactivity

Mindful walking is a meditation practice that combines physical activity and mindfulness practice. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions provided for increasing physical activity among adults with low physical activity levels. A randomized controlled trial design will be utilized, with an intervention and waitlist control group (N = 160). Outcomes measured include physical activity, sleep quality, and functional fitness. Participants will receive a total of eight sessions of 60-minute mindful walking training within four weeks. The intervention group will receive the training in Weeks 1-4 and the control group will receive the training during Weeks 5-8. Each training group will consist of up to 20 individuals. Data will be collected at baseline, four weeks, and eight weeks to determine the efficacy of the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 and above
• English speaking
• Literacy 6th grade and above
• Willingness to share contact information (home address, phone number)
• No current mindfulness practice
• Greenville residents or persons who are patients of the partnering organizations in the investigator's study.
• Self-reported physical activity level below the CDC recommended guidelines (150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes ) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalence combination of moderate- and vigorous intensity aerobic activity

Exclusion Criteria:

• <18 years old
• Non-English-speaking
• Literacy lower than 6th grade
• Inability to attend intervention sessions
• Already completed or attending a mindfulness-based intervention
• Current pregnancy
• Current/past psychosis
• Acute episode of a substance use disorder (past two weeks)
• Acute episode of depression in the past two weeks
• Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury or brain damage
• Persistent antisocial behavior
• Persistent self-injury requiring clinical management
• Unable to engage for physical or practical reasons (e.g., disabling physical problems, unable to comprehend material)
• Dementia
• Suicidality
• Inability to do light walking for 10 mins at a stretch
• Severely obese BMI (>50 kg/m2)