An interventional study of Remote Physical Activity Intervention and Mindfulness Enhanced Remote Physical Activity Intervention in Inactivity, Inactivity/Low Levels of Exercise and Inactivity, Physical, sponsored by Bess Marcus. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-28.
Sponsored by Bess Marcus · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
In this study, the investigators are exploring how a mindfulness-based physical activity program can help improve exercise habits and overall health among 258 inactive Latina women aged 18 to 65. The study will be conducted entirely remotely over and 18 month period. During the first 6 months, all participants will receive an exercise program that has previously been tested by our research team. After 6 months, the investigators will check if participants are meeting the recommended exercise guidelines of at least 150 minutes/week of at least moderate intensity activity. Participants who meet the guidelines will continue with the successful exercise program for another 6 months. For participants who do not meet the guidelines (are exercising less than 150 minutes/week), they will receive one of two enhanced programs, which will be randomly assigned. One program offers additional physical activity support, and the other incorporates stress management through mindfulness techniques. For all participants, over 18 months, the investigators will track physical activity levels, stress, and heart health indicators.
The current study is an innovative adaptive intervention tested on inactive Latinas aged 18-65 (n=258). During the initial 6 month phase, all participants will receive our evidence based physical activity (PA) intervention. At 6 months, participants who meet national PA guidelines (at least 150 mins/week of at least moderate intensity PA) will continue to receive the standard PA intervention for another 6 months. Participants who do not meet the PA guidelines, will be randomized to continue intensive PA counseling or receive attention matched PA counseling incorporating the most potent components from Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) adapted for PA. Participants in all 3 arms will be followed and compared over 18 months. The investigators will also rigorously evaluate stress as a mechanism for meeting PA guidelines using multiple measures (objective and self-report), including using wearable technology and Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Finally, heart health indicators will be collected to assess long term benefits of PA.
1,273 studies on the registry are indexed under Sedentary Behavior; 300 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 258 is above the median of 60 across 1,076 interventional studies indexed under Sedentary Behavior.
Browse Sedentary Behavior studies →This is the only study on the registry with Bess Marcus as lead sponsor.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
TIA (transient ischaemic attack)
A “mini-stroke”: temporary stroke-like symptoms caused by reduced blood flow to part of the brain, spinal cord or eye, without signs of a new stroke on a scan.
Stroke symptoms need emergency care at once, even if they go away.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis C tests
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECG (electrocardiogram)
A recording of the heart’s electrical activity, taken with stickers on the chest, arms and legs. It takes a few minutes and does not hurt.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: long-term lung disease that makes it hard to breathe out, including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Behavioral: Remote Physical Activity Intervention
Behavioral: Mindfulness Enhanced Remote Physical Activity Intervention
Behavioral: Attention Matched Enhanced Remote PA intervention
The intervention includes a Zoom goal setting session on PA at baseline and phone calls at week 1, and months 1, 2, 3, and 9 for new goal setting and to address questions and monitor progress on PA goals. Participants will receive mailings weekly in month 1, bi- weekly in months 2 and 3, and monthly in months 4 to 6, with maintenance doses in months 8 and 10. Mailings include motivation-matched physical activity manuals, tip sheets (on stretching, boredom, places to be active, etc.) and computer expert system-tailored PA feedback reports which draw from a bank of over 330 messages addressing psychosocial and environmental factors affecting PA. Participants receive one interactive text message on PA (goal setting and tips for increasing PA) daily for the first 6 months and weekly for months 7-12.
Women who do not meet the PA guidelines (60% based on our prior work), will be randomized to receive the Attention Matched Enhanced Remote PA intervention or Mindfulness enhanced remote Physical Activity intervention. The intervention includes a Zoom goal setting session on PA at baseline and phone calls at week 1, and months 1, 2, 3, and 9 for new goal setting and to address questions and monitor progress on PA goals. Participants will receive mailings weekly in month 1, bi- weekly in months 2 and 3, and monthly in months 4 to 6. In months 7-12, they will receive 4 monthly calls, 11 mailers and daily texts. In months 13-18, they will receive 1 call, weekly texts to self monitor daily PA and meeting goals. For the Mindfulness enhanced remote Physical Activity intervention participants will receive additional messaging and support to manage their stress through incorporating evidence based MBSR and mindful movement into their daily routine.
Women who do not meet the PA guidelines (60% based on our prior work), will be randomized to receive the Mindfulness enhanced remote Physical Activity intervention or the Attention Matched Enhanced Remote PA intervention as described here. The intervention includes a Zoom goal setting session on PA at baseline and phone calls at week 1, and months 1, 2, 3, and 9 for new goal setting and to address questions and monitor progress on PA goals. Participants will receive mailings weekly in month 1, bi- weekly in months 2 and 3, and monthly in months 4 to 6. In months 7-12, they will receive 4 monthly calls, 11 mailers and daily texts. In months 13-18, they will receive 1 call, weekly texts to self monitor daily PA and meeting goals.
Accelerometer-measured min/week MVPA
For the week prior to each assessment (baseline, 6, 12, 18-months), all participants will wear an Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometer, which measures movement and intensity of activity and has been validated against heart rate telemetry and total energy expenditure. Data will be used to generate a binary indicator of meeting national PA guidelines (at least 150 min/week MVPA) at each follow-up.
Time frame: 12 and 18 Months (outcome timepoints)
Perceived Stress Scale(PSS)
Measured using a 14-item Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), this self-report measure assesses general perceptions of demands in life exceeding one's capacities to manage them. This scale has shown good reliability and validity in past studies with Spanish speaking Latino participants. The scale score ranges from 0 to 56, with higher scores indicative of higher perceived stress.
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months
Moment to moment self-reported stress evaluated via Ecological momentary assessment (EMA)
Participants will be prompted daily (via the wake-up report and random prompts) to respond to : How stressed are you feeling right now? Response options are on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from 0=Not at all to 6=Extremely.
Time frame: Baseline, 6, 9, 12 months
Lipid Panel
Heart health indicators will be collected at baseline and follow-ups (6, 12 and 18 months), including Total cholesterol, Triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (all measured as mg/dl)
Time frame: Baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months
HbA1c
HbA1c will be collected at baseline, 6, 12, 18 months and is recorded as a percentage (mmol/mol).
Time frame: baseline, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months
Plan to share: Yes — All quantitative data produced in the course of the project will be preserved and shared upon reasonable request. Based on ethical considerations, only the following data produced in the course of the project will be preserved and shared: de-identified physical activity outcomes and questionnaire data.
Supporting information: Statistical analysis plan
Time frame: Shared data generated from this project will be made available as soon as possible, and no later than the time of publication. The duration of preservation and sharing of the data will be a minimum of 7 years after the end of the funding period.
Access criteria: Researchers will need to contact the study PI (Dr. Marcus)
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.