Planning Actions for Consistent Engagement

Manipulating Action Plans to Improve Physical Activity Behavior and Cognitive Health in Older Adults

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether different approaches to action planning can promote physical activity (PA) habits, increase PA behavior, and improve cognitive functioning in older adults who are currently inactive or insufficiently active.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does a trial-and-error approach to PA action planning lead to greater improvements in PA habits, PA behavior, and cognitive functioning compared to standard PA planning or non-PA planning?
2. Does greater consistency and successful enactment of action plans result in more substantial changes in PA habits, behavior, and cognitive functioning?

Researchers will compare three groups to determine which planning approach yields superior outcomes.:

1. Non-PA planning (generic weekly planning)
2. PA planning (weekly planning for PA)
3. PA trial-and-error planning (weekly PA plans followed by preferred plan adoption)

Participants will:

1. Wear Fitbit monitors continuously for 9 months to track PA behavior
2. Complete mobile cognitive assessments daily for 7 days before the intervention, monthly during the intervention, and at follow-up
3. Create action plans and report on PA habits, intentions, and plan enactment weekly during the intervention and at follow-up

Inclusion Criteria:

• age 60 years or older
• own a smartphone
• willingness to download an app onto their personal smartphone and complete the cognitive assessments and questionnaires on their smartphone, wear the accelerometer, and undergo randomization
• insufficient PA (i.e., not meeting current PA guidelines) but report intentions to increase their PA over the next 6 months
• self-reported ability to ambulate without assistance
• English as a primary language

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals that are unwilling or unable to obtain medical clearance (if needed)
• have received a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or ADRD
• concurrently participating in another study involving PA or weight loss
• planning to have surgery or relocate within the next 9 months