Helping Black older adults stick with exercise to protect thinking and memory

Exercise adherence and cognitive decline: Engaging with the Black community to develop and test a goal-setting and exercise intensity intervention

NIH-funded research University of Colorado · NIH-11384060

This project partners with Black older adults to create and try goal-setting and exercise-intensity plans that help people keep exercising and protect thinking and memory.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Colorado NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES)
Project IDNIH-11384060 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would help shape and try a new exercise program designed with input from the Black community so it fits cultural needs and daily life. The team will combine goal-setting methods with guidance on how hard to exercise, then pilot the program with older Black adults. Study staff will track who keeps up physical activity and whether there are changes in thinking and memory over time. The approach is focused on making a realistic, sustainable plan rather than one-size-fits-all instructions.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are Black adults, especially age 65 or older, who want support to increase or maintain regular physical activity and are concerned about aging-related thinking or memory.

Not a fit: People with severe mobility or medical limitations that prevent safe exercise, those with advanced dementia who cannot follow program steps, or individuals outside the target age/community may not benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help Black older adults maintain regular exercise and slow age-related declines in thinking and memory.

How similar studies have performed: Prior research shows exercise and goal-setting can help activity and may protect cognition, but few culturally tailored trials for Black older adults have been done, making this partly novel.

Where this research is happening

Boulder, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.