Feasibility of Reducing Older Adults' Sedentary Time

• Published in: American journal of preventive medicine Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 174 - 177
• Main Authors: Gardiner, Paul A., BSc, Eakin, Elizabeth G., PhD, Healy, Genevieve N., PhD, Owen, Neville, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01-08-2011
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Behavior Therapy - methods; Cognitive Therapy - methods; Consultation; Elderly people; Exercise; Feasibility Studies; Female; Goal setting; Health Behavior; Humans; Internal Medicine; Life Style; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Activity; Patient Satisfaction; Physical activity; Retention; Sedentary; Sedentary Lifestyle; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0749-3797; 1873-2607
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.03.020

Background Sedentary time (too much sitting, as distinct from lack of exercise) is a prevalent risk to health among older adults. Purpose Examine the feasibility of an intervention to reduce and break up sedentary time in older adults. Design A pre-experimental (pre–post) study. Setting/participants A total of 59 participants aged ≥60 years from Brisbane, Australia. Data were collected between May and December 2009 and analyzed in 2010. Intervention One face-to-face goal-setting consultation and one individually tailored mailing providing feedback on accelerometer-derived sedentary time, grounded in social cognitive theory and behavioral choice theory. Main outcome measures Program reach and retention; changes in accelerometer-derived sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LIPA), and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) (assessed over 6 days in pre- and post-intervention periods); and participant satisfaction. Results Reach was 87.5% of those screened and eligible; retention was 100%. From pre- to post-intervention, participants decreased their sedentary time [–3.2% (95% CI= –4.18, –2.14), p <0.001], increased their breaks in sedentary time per day [4.0 (1.48, 6.52), p =0.003], and increased their LIPA [2.2% (1.40, 2.99), p <0.001] and MVPA [1.0% (0.55, 1.38), p <0.001]. Significantly greater reductions in sedentary time were made after 10:00 am , with significantly greater number of breaks occurring between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm . Participants reported high satisfaction with the program (median 9/10). Conclusions Sedentary time in older adults can be reduced following a brief intervention based on goal setting and behavioral self-monitoring.