Page Contents
Overview
Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Reducing Screen Time
Intervention Type: Direct Education
Intervention Reach and Adoption
Setting: Community (Live), Faith-based community, Health care, Indian Tribal Organizations, Worksite (Work)
Target Audience: Older Adults
Race/Ethnicity: No special focus
Intervention Components
Intervention Materials
- Full Program Protocol
- Nutrition Lesson Guide
- Nutrition Lesson Handouts
- Recipes
- Fitness Assessment Instructions
- Instructor’s Warm-Up/Cool-Down Guide
- Instructor’s Exercise Guide
- Class Structure Outline
- Participant Exercise Guide
- Activities for Daily Living
- Post Course Newsletters
- Marketing forms
- Enrollment forms
- Fitness Assessment Results Pre and Post Comparison
- Fitness Assessment Performance
Intervention Costs
Evidence Summary
Furthermore, the results from participant pre/post surveys and pre/post assessments generate an annual impact report that outlines program outcomes, behavior changes made, and participant feedback testimonials. Multiple research studies have been conducted to support the effectiveness of the SSSH intervention, resulting in peer-reviewed publications and research posters that have been presented at various conferences on the benefits and outcomes of the program. Largely in part of these evidentiary findings, five other states have adopted SSSH and are implementing the program to SNAP-eligible audiences.
The peer-reviewed literature can be found below:
- Ball S.D., Miller K., Weitzel K.J., & Baker B.S. (2023) How to Build and Sustain a Transdisciplinary Community-based Exercise Program for Older Adults. Accepted at the Journal of Extension
- Spokely N.J., Weitzel K.J., Oliveira M., Miller K., Ball S.D., and Baker B.S. (2023) Improving Older Adults’ Functional Health Using the Progressive Stay Strong, Stay Healthy Program. Accepted Journal of Applied Gerontology
- Royse L.A., Baker B.S., Warne-Griggs M.D., Miller K., Weitzel K.J., Ball S.D., and Duren D.L. (2023) “It’s Not Time for Us to Sit Down Yet”: How Group Exercise Programs Can Motivate Physical Activity and Overcome Barriers in Inactive Older Adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being. 18:1, DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2216034
- Miller K., Weitzel K.J., Bliss R.A., Duren D.L., Ball S.D., and Baker, B.S. (2023) Eight weeks of resistance training sparks previously sedentary older adults to adopt long-term positive exercise habits despite COVID-19 restrictions. Journal of Sports Sciences. DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2022.2140912
- Abreu, E. L., Vance, A., Cheng, A.-L., & Brotto, M. (2022). Musculoskeletal biomarkers response to exercise in older adults. Frontiers in Aging, 3. DOI:10.3389/fragi.2022.867137
- Syed-Abdul, M., McClellan, C., Parks, E., Ball, S. (2022). Effects of a resistance training community program in older adults. Ageing & Society, 42(8), 1863-1878. DOI:10.1017/S144686X2001786
- Baker, B.S., Syed-Abdul, M.M., Weitzel, K.J., & Ball, S.D. (2021) Acute Resistance Training May Have Lasting Benefit to Middle-Aged Adults. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 7:1-5 DOI: 10.1177/23337214211022592
- Baker, B.S., Miller K., Weitzel, K.J., Duren, D.L., and Ball, S.D. (2021) Resistance Training in Older Adults Reduces Age- and Geography-Related Physical Function Discrepancies. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 7:1-9. DOI: 10.1177/2333721421992251
- Baker, B.S., Weitzel, K.J., Miller, K, Royse, L.A., Guess, T.M., Ball, S.D., and Duren, D.L. (2021) Efficacy of an Eight-week Resistance Training Program in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. 29(1):121-129 DOI:10.1123/japa.2020-0078 Crowe, E. M., & Ball S. D. (2015). Effectiveness of advanced Stay Strong, Stay Healthy in community settings. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 3(1).
- Abreu, E. L., Cheng, A.-L., Kelly, P. J., Chertoff, K., Brotto, L., Griffith, E., et al. (2014). Skeletal Muscle Troponin as a Novel Biomarker to Enhance Assessment of the Impact of Strength Training on Fall Prevention in the Older Adults. Nurs. Res. 63(2), 75–82. DOI:10.1097/NNR.0000000000000018
- Ball, S. D., Gammon, R., Kelly, P. J., Cheng, A., Chertoff, K., Kaume L., Abreu, E. L., & Brotto, M. (2013) Outcomes of Stay Strong Stay Healthy in Community Settings. Journal of Aging and Health, 25(8), 1388–1397.
The unintended benefits of the intervention include:
- Social engagement and social interaction (for many participants, attending class is the only social interaction they have each week)
- Improvements in social activity participation
- Improvements in quality of sleep (which has a profound effect on overall health and results in an increased quality of life)
The challenges include:
- Personal participant modifications for program exercises can be a challenge for instructors without an exercise background, but the MU state team provides exercise expertise to overcome these challenges.
Evidence-based Approach: Research-tested
Evaluation Indicators
Readiness and Capacity – Short Term (ST) | Changes – Medium Term (MT) | Effectiveness and Maintenance – Long Term (LT) | Population Results (R) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Individual | MT1, MT3 | LT1, LT3 | ||
Environmental Settings | ||||
Sectors of Influence |
Evaluation Materials
- Participant pre/post surveys
- PA assessments
Process evaluation materials include:
- Instructor self-evaluation tool
- Fidelity checks performed by SSSH state leadership
Process evaluation also occurs during bi-annual Zoom instructor updates where instructors are given time to share successes, challenges, and suggestions for improvement.
Additional Information
Contact Person(s):
Dr. Stephen Ball – Director
(573) 882-2334
ballsd@missouri.edu
*Updated as of August 25, 2023