Efficacy and Mediation of a Theory-Based Physical Activity Intervention for African American Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Few trials have tested physical-activity interventions among sexual minorities, including African American men who have sex with men (MSM).
Purpose: We examined the efficacy and mediation of the Being Responsible for Ourselves (BRO) physical-activity intervention among African American MSM.
Method: African American MSM were randomized to the physical-activity intervention consisting of three 90-min one-on-one sessions or an attention-matched control intervention and completed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 6- and 12-month post-intervention audio computer-based surveys.
Results: Of the 595 participants, 503 completed the 12-month follow-up. Generalized estimating equation models revealed that the intervention increased self-reported physical activity compared with the control intervention, adjusted for pre-intervention physical activity. Mediation analyses suggested that the intervention increased reasoned action approach variables, subjective norm and self-efficacy, increasing intention immediately post-intervention, which increased physical activity during the follow-up period.
Conclusions: Interventions targeting reasoned action approach variables may contribute to efforts to increase African American MSM's physical activity.
Clinical Trial Registration: The trial was registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02561286 .