Environmental Approaches to Reducing Obesity: Increasing Physical Activity Levels in Low-Income Women

Regular physical activity is important for good health. Women, particularly women with low incomes, have many personal barriers to regular physical activity. The purpose of this study is to reduce environmental barriers to physical activity for women in two specific low-income neighborhoods (in Louisville, KY) by providing opportunities for safe physical activity and addressing barriers such as lack of child care. Two groups of women will have pretest information (cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, percent body fat, height, weight, waist and hip measurements) collected and the same information 6 months later at post-test. One group will have access to multiple physical activity opportunities in their neighborhood and at the neighborhood community center. An advanced registered nurse practitioner will facilitate the activity opportunities. The groups will be compared on their pretest and post-test information to see if the group with the physical activity opportunities has increased physical activity as measured by pedometer and self-report questionnaire, and to see if there are changes in the measures tested at pre and post (measures that may be improved by regular physical activity).