BAILA: Being Active, Increasing Latinos Healthy Aging (BAILA)

Investigators propose a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of the revised 4-month BAILAMOS© program for improving lifestyle PA and health outcomes (physical and cognitive function, self-reported functional limitations, disability) in sedentary older Latinos at risk for disability relative to an attention control group.

Older Latinos comprised 7% of the older adult population in 2002, but are expected to constitute 20% by 2050. Physical activity (PA) can influence potential declines in the health outcomes of physical and cognitive function that lead to functional limitations (self-reported restrictions in performance) and disability (functional limitations placed in a social context). Unfortunately, Latinos aged 65-74 are 46% less likely to engage in leisure time PA than older non-Latino whites and little is known about PA maintenance among ethnic minorities compared to non-Latino whites. In part as a result of low levels of PA, the physical and cognitive function of older Latinos is poor relative to older non-Latino whites. Participation in PA has substantial potential to help older Latinos maintain both physical and cognitive function as they age. Walking and dancing are the two most commonly reported forms of PA among older Latinos. However, urban older Latinos cite unsafe neighborhoods and extreme weather conditions as significant barriers to walking. Dance is a widely popular form of PA among Latinos of all ages, and holds considerable promise as a culturally appropriate form of PA that challenges individuals both physically and cognitively. To date, PA programs designed for older Latinos are lacking. BAILAMOS© is an innovative dance program that has been developed by Dr. Marquez (PI) based on focus group input from older community-dwelling Latinos and in collaboration with an accomplished Latin dance instructor. Investigators propose a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of the revised 4-month BAILAMOS© program for improving lifestyle PA and health outcomes (physical and cognitive function, self-reported functional limitations, disability) in sedentary older Latinos at risk for disability relative to an attention control group. Investigators will also test whether lifestyle PA and health outcomes can be maintained over an additional 4-months through BAILAMOS© maintenance activities, which include using indigenous dance leaders. This study will use an RCT (N=166 Treatment, 166 Control) with a health education control group that will allow investigators to examine the adoption of PA and its impact on health outcomes (first 4 months), and the short-term maintenance of PA and its impact on health outcomes (8 months) among older Latinos.

BAILAMOS© Dance Program + Maintenance Program: includes a 4-month twice-weekly adoption phase and a 4-month twice-weekly maintenance phase. Each month during adoption a new dance style is introduced by a professional dance instructor. During the 4-month maintenance phase an indigenous dance leader, trained by the professional dance instructor, will lead dance with participants twice per week

Health Education Control Group: Sedentary older Latinos randomly assigned to the health education control group will participate in classes developed for older adults and offered by the University of Illinois Extension. All classes are conducted in Spanish by extension staff using Spanish-language materials. Classes will meet one day per week for two hours, to provide equitable social contact as the treatment group.

CHAMPS PA Questionnaire assesses weekly frequency and duration of a variety of lifestyle physical activities that are meaningful and appropriate for older adults.

Working Memory: The score is the number of correctly retrieved strings in each part of the Digit Span Test plus the number of correctly reordered strings from the Digit Ordering. Higher scores indicated better outcomes. Higher change indicate better outcomes.

Function Subscale of Late Life Function & Disability Instrument. Higher scores reflect more limitation in performing tasks. Range on questionnaire is 15-75. Change is reported here.

Inclusion Criteria: age > 55 years old self-identification as Latino/Hispanic ability to speak Spanish participation in <3 day/week of aerobic exercise at risk for disability adequate cognitive status as assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination danced < 2 times/month over the past 12 months willingness to be randomly assigned to treatment or control group no plans to leave the country for more than two consecutive weeks over the next year Exclusion Criteria: uncontrolled cardiovascular disease uncontrolled diabetes mellitus pacemaker in situ severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) recent healing or unhealed fracture(s) use of an assistance device to walk (cane, walker, or wheelchair)

Aguinaga S, Kaushal N, Balbim GM, Wilson RS, Wilbur JE, Hughes S, Buchner DM, Berbaum M, McAuley E, Vasquez PM, Marques IG, Wang T, Marquez DX. Latin Dance and Working Memory: The Mediating Effects of Physical Activity Among Middle-Aged and Older Latinos. Front Aging Neurosci. 2022 Apr 15;14:755154. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.755154. eCollection 2022.

Marquez DX, Wilbur J, Hughes S, Wilson R, Buchner DM, Berbaum ML, McAuley E, Aguinaga S, Balbim GM, Vasquez PM, Marques IG, Wang T, Kaushal N. BAILA: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Latin Dancing to Increase Physical Activity in Spanish-Speaking Older Latinos. Ann Behav Med. 2022 Nov 18;56(12):1231-1243. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaac009.