Enhancing Well-Being Through Exercise During Old Age

Determine the feasibility of adapting Fit \& Strong!, an evidence-based group physical activity and health education program, to include affect and mood-related content and of employing this intervention among older adults with a range of depressive symptoms.

The specific aims of this pilot are to use a small randomized controlled trial (RCT) with a wait list control design to: 1) Determine the feasibility of adapting Fit \& Strong! to include affect and mood-related content and of employing this intervention among older adults with a range of depressive symptoms. 2) Begin to determine whether Fit \& Strong! is efficacious as an approach for improving positive affect, reducing negative affect, decreasing symptoms of depression, and improving cognition among older adults. 3) Explore the relationship between negative/positive affect and symptoms of depression and maintenance of physical activity between baseline and 2 months, in order to determine whether improved positive affect and reduced negative affect and depression and improved cognition are associated with an increase in physical activity.