Perceptions of Important Characteristics of Physical Activity Facilities: Implications for Engagement in Walking, Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: Although few United States adults meet physical activity recommendations, those that do are more likely to access to physical activity facilities. Additionally, vigorous exercisers may be more likely to utilize a nearby physical activity facility, while light-to-moderate exercisers are less likely to do so. However, it is unclear what characteristics of those facilities are most important as well as how those characteristics are related to activity intensity. PURPOSE: This study examined relationships between self-reported leisure-time physical activities and the use of and perceived characteristics of physical activity facilities. METHODS: Data were from a cross-sectional study in a major metropolitan area. Participants (N = 582; ages 18-74, mean age = 45 ± 14.7 years) were more likely to be female (69.9%), Caucasian (65.6%), married (51.7%), and have some college education (72.8%). Household surveys queried leisure-time physical activity, regular physical activity facility use, and importance ratings for key facility characteristics. RESULTS: Leisure-time physical activity recommendations were met by 41.0% of participants and 50.9% regularly used a physical activity facility. Regular facility use was positively associated with meeting walking (p = 0.036), moderate (p < 0.001), and vigorous (p < 0.001) recommendations. Vigorous exercisers were more likely to use a gym/fitness center (p = 0.006) and to place higher importance on facility quality (p = 0.022), variety of physical activity options offered (p = 0.003), and availability of special equipment and resources (p = 0.01). The facility characteristics of low or free cost (p = 0.02) and offering childcare (p = 0.028) were barriers for walking, and being where friends and family like to go were barriers for moderate leisure-time physical activity (p = 0.013). CONCLUSION: Findings offer insights for structuring interventions using the social ecological model as well as for improving existing physical activity facilities.

Internet-based incentives increase blood glucose testing with a non-adherent, diverse sample of teens with type 1 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled Trial.

Non-adherence with self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) among teenagers with type 1 diabetes can be a problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of using Internet-based incentives to improve adherence with SMBG in non-adherent teenagers. Participants were randomly assigned to contingent (CS; N = 23), where they had to meet web camera-verified SMBG goals to earn incentives, or non-contingent (NS) groups (N = 18), where they earned incentives independent of adherence. Brief motivational interviewing (MI) was given prior to the intervention. Attrition was 15 % in the CS group. Participants and parents endorsed the intervention on all intervention dimensions. Daily SMBG increased after one MI session, and further increased when incentives were added, but significantly more for so for older participants. SMBG declined slowly over time, but only returned to baseline levels for younger NS participants. Internet-based incentive interventions are feasible, acceptable, and show promise for improving adherence with SMBG.