A Randomized Pilot Trial of Exercise Promotion in Sedentary African-American Adults

This study compared the effects of 3 home-based exercise promotion programs for African Americans. Sixty, sedentary African-American adults were randomly assigned to either a standard behavioral counseling group (N=22), a culturally sensitive counseling group (N=20), or a physician advice comparison group (N=10). The key study outcomes measured at baseline and after 6 months included cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity. Acculturation was examined as a moderating variable. Participants in all 3 groups reported significant increases in walking, but significant improvements in fitness were observed only in the 2 intervention groups. Participants in the culturally sensitive intervention reported significantly higher levels of exercise social support compared to members of the other 2 groups. These findings show that home-based exercise counseling programs are effective for improving fitness, yet the addition of culturally tailored components may not be sufficient to produce better outcomes than standard behavioral counseling.