Interventions to address sedentary behaviour for older adults: a scoping review. 2021

Celeste Petrusevski, and Silvana Choo, and Michael Wilson, and Joy MacDermid, and Julie Richardson
School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.

Sedentary behaviour is associated with increased risk for lower health status and all-cause mortality. Older adults spend up to 75%, on average, of their day sedentary, however little is known about interventions designed to decrease sitting time for this population. A scoping review was conducted to broadly determine what is known about sedentary behaviour interventions for older adults. Electronic databases were searched for articles with eligibility criteria including: (1) interventions containing strategies to decrease sedentary behaviour, (2) adults ≥60 years of age, and (3) reported outcome measures related to sedentary behaviour. A total of 32 articles met the inclusion criteria. While methodological quality and intervention characteristics varied among the studies, the majority of interventions used a multi-component approach. Interventions involved a variety of behavioural change strategies with goal setting, information and self-monitoring the most frequently used. Of the 20 studies reporting results, 80% (n = 16) found at least one significant change in sedentary behaviour. Findings from this scoping review suggest that sedentary behaviour can be reduced in community-dwelling older adults through multi-component targeted interventions. Future work is needed to examine sedentary behaviour interventions for adults >75 years and for persons living in long-term care institutions.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONOlder adults spend up to 75% of their day sedentary and are at an increased risk for chronic conditions, functional limitations, and mortality.Multi-component sedentary behaviour interventions, such as education, physical activity, and activity monitoring should be implemented for older adults.When designing interventions, incorporating goal-setting, self-monitoring and other behaviour change strategies can reduce sitting time for older adults.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000077708 Sitting Position Seated Position,Sitting,Position, Seated,Position, Sitting,Positions, Seated,Seated Positions,Sitting Positions
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D015444 Exercise Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure. Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise
D057185 Sedentary Behavior Behaviors during waking hours that have low energy expenditure and are often performed in a sitting or reclining POSTURE. Lack of Physical Activity,Sedentary Lifestyle,Sedentary Time,Physical Inactivity,Behavior, Sedentary,Inactivity, Physical,Lifestyle, Sedentary,Sedentary Behaviors,Sedentary Times,Time, Sedentary
D057187 Independent Living A housing and community arrangement that maximizes independence and self-determination. Aging in Place,Community Dwelling,Dwelling, Community,Dwellings, Community,Living, Independent

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