Developing and Testing an Intervention to Reduce Sedentary Behaviour in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Background: The harmful effects of sedentary behaviour on health and wellbeing have been well documented. Older adults are the fastest-growing and most sedentary group in society. Adults aged ≥75 years have been considerably underrepresented in sedentary behaviour research, and little is known about appropriate strategies to reduce sedentary time in this population.

Aim: To develop an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years.

Methods: The Medical Research Council (MRC) and Taxonomy of Approaches for Developing Health Interventions (O’Cathain et al.) provided guidance in developing an intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years. The intervention combined partnership and theory- and evidence-based approaches to intervention development. The intervention was informed by a mixed-method review of the literature and qualitative fieldwork undertaken with community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years. The development process was guided by the Behaviour Change Wheel (BCW) and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). The developed intervention was then feasibility tested with community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years.

Results: Existing interventions were limited by their recruited samples, selected outcome measures and failing to incorporate the target population in intervention design and development. The sedentary behaviour of adults aged ≥75 years was qualitatively profiled and used to inform the intervention development process. The proposed intervention comprises multiple components including a smartwatch with a sedentary reminder to raise awareness of prolonged sedentary behaviour, group sessions, educational resources to interrupt sedentary behaviour and researcher follow-up. The proposed components map to theories of behaviour and target relevant determinants. The intervention was found to be acceptable with the target population, and participants were receptive of the developed intervention.

Conclusions: The developed intervention appeared appropriate to community-dwelling older adults aged ≥75 years, and feedback was provided to refine the developed intervention. Further research is necessary to continue developing the intervention and plans for pilot testing and large-scale evaluation of the developed intervention are discussed.