Publication list via PubMed

Dr. Claudio Nigg was a research assistant professor at the Health Promotion Partnership and the Program in Gerontology at the University of Rhode Island where he was Project Director for a large experimental public health intervention trial addressing nutrition and exercise behavior within older adults (the SENIOR project). Currently, he is an Associate Professor in the the Social and Behavioral Health Sciences Program in the Department of Public Health Sciences and Epidemiology at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

His areas of interest include health and exercise psychology, youth, aging, theories of behavior change and using behavior modification techniques for the motivation to engage in health behaviors, specifically focusing on exercise/physical activity and multiple health behavior change. His work to date includes several experimental exercise interventions, theoretical investigations and stage-based intervention studies with youth and older adults.

Selected Research Projects

Fun 5: A Physical Activity and Nutrition Program - Dissemination in Elementary PE Programs and Afterschool Plus (A+) Programs. Funded by the Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, and the Hawaii Medical Service Association Foundation. Principal Investigator. Claudio R. Nigg, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences and Epidemiology, JABSOM, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

SummarySummary: Given the physical activity (PA) benefits for children, effective approaches using innovative channels are needed. We (Hawaii State Department of Education, Hawai‘i Medical Service Association, University of Hawai‘i, and community organizations) piloted Fun 5 promoting PA and nutrition using the proven Sports, Play, and Active Recreation for Kids-Active Recreation (SPARK AR) in 13 elementary Afterschool Plus (A+) programs (grades 4-6). Sedentary time decreased (21%), and moderate/vigorous PA time increased (140%), reflecting a management decrease and a game play increase. Leisure-time strenuous PA, mild PA, enjoyment, subjective norm and self-efficacy did not change over time. However, moderate PA increased by an average of half a day per week and attitude improved. Limited effects were observed with fruit and vegetable consumption. Due to the pilot s success, Fun 5 is offered for statewide dissemination for Kindergarten to Grade 6. This includes lessons learned: using boosters to maintain leaders motivation; removing communication hierarchies; and minimizing paperwork. 72 sites were trained (over 9000 students) in the first dissemination semester with a planned RE-AIM evaluation. 12/13 pilot sites continue implementation. With increasing childhood obesity and related risks, and decreasing Physical Education, after-school programs are instrumental in promoting PA. This project has been awarded an Innovations in Prevention Award by the US DHHS in October 2005. For more information, see www.hmsa.com/community/programs/fun5/.

Testing the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. NIH/NCI 1RO1 CA109941-01. Principal Investigator. Claudio R. Nigg, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences and Epidemiology, JABSOM, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Surprisingly little is known about the mechanisms of change for physical activity and nutrition that can inform the design of successful interventions. Therefore, the primary aim of this project is to identify the mechanisms of behavior change for physical activity (PA) and nutrition (fruit and vegetable consumption) using a novel application of one of the most powerful frameworks of health behavior change - the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM). Specifically:

1. We will determine whether the stages of change, processes, pros, cons, self-efficacy and temptations defined by the TTM moderate and mediate, respectively, self-initiated health behavior changes over a 2 year period among a random, multi-ethnic sample.

Due to the longitudinal and multi-behavioral nature of this project we will also be able to investigate the following secondary aims:

1. To identify the longitudinal relationship between behavior change and stage change for PA and fruit and vegetable consumption.
2. To evaluate the impact that the PA mechanisms have on fruit and vegetable consumption and vice versa.

The aims will be addressed via a naturalistic longitudinal design assessing all TTM constructs (stage, processes, pros, cons, self-efficacy [confidence and temptations]) at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months follow-up. This type of rigorous comprehensive approach has not been conducted using the entire TTM for PA and nutrition behaviors and directly addresses several core model assumptions and criticisms. Further, including two behaviors will allow us to look at the gateway behavior issue - does change in one health behavior area lead to change in another, which has important practice implications.

Validating the stages of change for physical activity (PA). Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Principal Investigator: Claudio Nigg, PhD, on behalf of the BCC PA workgroup. Department of Public Health Sciences and Epidemiology, JABSOM, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.

Summary: Numerous studies have investigated the construct validity of the stages of change applied to physical activity behavior. Studies have found that stage is associated with both self-reported physical activity behavior in adolescent, college, adult and older adult samples. However, only a few investigations have associated stages with measures of fitness level. The relationships are stronger if exercise stage is related to exercise behaviors and physical activity stage is related to physical activity behaviors. In general, the more progressed an individual is in the stages of change, the greater self-reported physical activity, exercise and objective fitness level. The current group of studies within the Behavior Change Consortium (BCC) will allow an unprecedented opportunity for definitive stage validation including the much-needed further validation of special populations and use of physiological and objective measures. The specific purpose of this project is to validate the stages of physical activity using multiple valid and reliable self-report, objective and physiological measures from numerous sites addressing different populations.