Active plus: implementation and evaluation of two tailored physical activity interventions among the over-fifties.

In this study, the effectiveness of two tailored physical activity interventions are evaluated. The study will have a double-blind longitudinal design. Three conditions will be included, in which the participants will be randomly assigned to:

1. the first intervention condition: subjects receive tailored advice three times on their psychosocial and environmental determinant of physical activity. The intervention will tailor on three levels: awareness of physical activity, behavioural change and maintenance of behavioural change;

2. the second intervention condition: subjects receive tailored advice three times on their psychosocial determinants of physical activity and in more details on physical and social environmental determinants. Additionally, there will be an extra intervention to stimulate participation in local activities that stimulate physical activity among the over-fifties, and stimulate the formation of buddy-systems;

3. the (waiting)control condition: participants receive no tailored advice during the study period (12 months). At the end of the study, all participants in this condition who filled in the last questionnaire will receive a tailored advice.
The two intervention conditions will receive tailored advice at three times: two weeks after baseline assessment, 6 weeks and 3,5 months after the first baseline assessment. During the implementation period, evaluation assessments will be taken at four times: at the start (T0: also the data base for the first and second tailored advice), after 3 months (T1: also the data base for the third tailored advice), 6 months (T2) and after 12 months (T3).

1. It is hypothesized that participation in the Active plus program contributes to an increase in physical activity behaviour among older adults;

2. Additionally receiving physical and social environmental information results in an extra increase in physical activity behaviour among older adults;

3. An analysis of the most important determinants of physical activity initiation and maintenance can be made.

N/A

6 regions of the Community Health Service in the Netherlands, that intended to participate in the study, were randomized into 1 of the 3 research groups. In each region 1 or 2 small cities were approached on the study. In each region, about 1250 randomly selected older adults
(aged 50 or older) were informed about the project by means of an
information letter, and were asked to participate and fill in the attached first questionnaire. Furthermore, attention was paid about the project in local newspapers and in meeting points of older adults by
means of information posters.

Two tailored physical activity interventions are developed. In the first intervention condition subjects will receive tailored advice three times on their psychosocial and environmental determinants of physical activity.

The intervention will tailor on three levels:

1. awareness of physical activity;

2. behavioural change;

3. maintenance of behavioural change.

In the second intervention condition subjects will receive tailored advice three times on their psychosocial determinants of physical activity and in more details on environmental determinants.

Additionally, there will be an extra intervention tailored on physical and social environmental determinants that stimulates participation in local activities and initiatives that stimulates physical activity among older adults (sportclubs, walking and cycling routes) and to stimulate buddy systems.

The two intervention conditions will receive tailored advice at three times: two weeks after baseline assessment, 6 weeks and 3,5 months after the first baseline assessment.

During the implementation period, evaluation assessments will be taken at four times:

at the start (T0: also the data base for the first and second tailored advice), after 3 months (T1: also the data base for the third tailored advice), 6 months (T3) and after 12 months (T4).

The control group, is a control waiting group and does not receive tailored advice during the first 12 months.