This document summarizes Michael McCorry's PhD research on interventions to reduce sedentary behavior in older adults. It outlines the objectives to systematically review literature on physical activity and behavioral interventions targeting sedentary time in older populations. A search of various databases retrieved over 19,000 records, which were screened according to PRISMA guidelines. 10 studies met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed in detail, finding mostly low quality evidence and small effect sizes of interventions. The conclusions call for improved measurement of sedentary behavior and more developed interventions in early-stage research.

1. The Effectiveness of Physical Activity and
Sedentary Behaviour Interventions in Altering
Sedentary Behaviour in Older Adults
PhD Student: Mr Michael McCorry
Supervisor: Professor Marie Murphy
Advisors: Dr Chris Bleakley
Dr Jacqueline Mair

2. The Road To Dependence in Ageing
Physical activity Sedentary behaviours
Supported living
Activities of daily living
Functional capacity
Frailty
Physical disability
Physical impairment
Independent living
Falls
Dependent/institutional living

3.  an individual can accumulate large amounts of
moderate-vigorous physical activity in addition to
long periods of sedentary behaviour in the course of a
day, and effectively be classified as physically active
but sedentary at the same time (SBRN, 2012).
Sedentary Behaviour

4.  Studies since 2012 investigating sedentarism as an independently
modifiable set of behaviours (Kriska et al., 2012; De Cocker et al., 2008).
 PA and behavioural change interventions have achieved some
success in changing sedentary behaviours (Tremblay et al., 2017).
 No systematic reviews to examine the effectiveness of intervention
studies that seek to modify sedentary behaviour among the elderly.
 The review will help to inform a future intervention study.
Rationale

5. Objectives
 Develop a protocol that outlines sources of information,
search protocol and inclusion/ exclusion criteria.
 Identify relevant articles and produce flow diagram in
accordance with PRISMA guidelines (Moher et al., 2010).
 Extract relevant data and employ a quality assessment tool
to appraise the data.

6.  Databases used were CINAHL Plus, EMBASE, Proquest (ASSIA), Medline (ovid),
and the SBRN database to end May 2017.
 Search keywords and terms:
 Main search terms used were the following:
 Sedentary Physical Activity Older Adult
 Sedentary (keyword) Motor activity (MeSH) Old (keyword)
 Sedentary Lifestyle (MeSH) Physical activity (keyword) Older (keyword)
 Sitting (keyword) Exercise (MeSH) Aged (MeSH)
 Inactivity (keyword) ADLs (MeSH) Elderly (keyword)
 Screen time (keyword) Postural balance (MeSH) Senior (keyword)
 Screentime (keyword)
 Computer time (keyword)
 Television (MeSH)
 Television (keyword)
Search Strategy

7. Records identified through
database searching
(n =19941)
ScreeningIncludedEligibilityIdentification
Additional records identified
through other sources
(n =24)
Records after duplicates removed
(n =19,528)
Records screened
(n =19,528)
Records excluded (n =19,436)
Duplicates extracted, not English
language or Human, population
<60, not relevant
Full-text articles assessed
for eligibility
(n =92)
Full-text articles excluded (n =82)
Reasons: age under 60 yrs, no
mention of SB intervention or
change, sedentary behaviour not
recorded.
Studies included in
qualitative synthesis
(n =10) (Flow diagram. PRISMA, 2009)

8.  Studies generally low in methodological quality
 Little evidence of agreement on measurement of SB or the most
effective method to target SB
 Most interventions used some form of behaviour change
technique albeit with little homogeneity.
 Small effect sizes – clinically meaningful?
Results

9.  Accurate definition and measurement of sedentary behaviour
remains problematic
 SB interventions using older participants are still in the early
stages of development but tend to involve behaviour change.
 SB data may have greater utility value when collected both
qualitatively and quantitatively.
Conclusions

10.  Berg K., Wood-Dauphinee S., Williams J.I., Maki B (1992) Measuring balance in the elderly:
validation of an instrument. Canadian Journal of Public Health, July/August supplement 2:S7-11.
 Bonnefoy, M., Boutitie, F., Mercier, C. (2012) Efficacy of a home-based intervention programme
on the physical activity level and functional ability of older people using domestic services: a
randomised study. Journal of Nutrition, Health & Ageing 2012; 16: 370-377.
 Clegg, A., Young, J., ILiffe, S., Rikkert, M.O. and Rockwood, K. (2013) Frailty in Elderly People.
Lancet 381: 752-762.
 Hart, T.L., Ainsworth, B.E. and Locke, C. (2011) Objective and Subjective Measures of Sedentary
Behaviour and Physical Activity, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(3):449-456.
 Howe, T.E., Rochester, L., Neil, F., Skelton, D.A. and Ballinger, C. Exercise for improving balance
in older people. Cochrane Database System Review 2011 Nov 9(11): CD004963.Review.
 Katzmarzyk, PT, Church, T.S., Craig, C.L., Bouchard, C. Sitting time and mortality from all
causes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 2009;
41:998-1005.
References

11.  Landi, F., Abbatecola, A.M., Provinciali, M., Carsonello, A., Bustacchini, S., Manigrasso, L., Cherubini, A.,
Bernabei, R. and Lattanzio, F. (2010) Moving Against Frailty: does physical activity matter?
Biogerentology 11:537-545.
 Moher D , Liberati A , Tetzlaff J , Altman DG . 2010. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews
and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement . Int J Surg. 2010 ; 8 ( 5 ): 336 – 341 .
 Rikli R.E. and Jones C.J. (1999) The development and validation of a functional fitness test for
community-residing older adults. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 7: 129–161.
 Sedentary Behaviour Research Network. Letter to the editor: standardised use of the terms
“sedentary” and “sedentary behaviours”. Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, 2012;
37(3):540-542.
 Stalenhoef P.A., Diederiks J.P., Knottnerus J.A., Kester A.D. and Crebolder HF. (2002) A risk model for
the prediction of recurrent falls in community dwelling elderly: a prospective cohort study. Journal of
Clinical Epidemilogy, 55(11):1088-1094.
 Tremblay, M., Aubert, S., Barnes, J.D., Saunders, T., Carson, V., Latimer-Cheung, A.E., Chastin, S.,
Altenburg, T.M., Chinapaw, M.J.M. (2017) Sedentary Behaviour Research Network (SBRN) –
Terminology Consensus Project process and outcome, International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition
and Physical Activity, 14:75.
 World Health Organisation (2008) Global Report on Falls Prevention in Older Age. World Health
Organisation: Centre of Human Development, Kobe.
References (cont.)

12. I’m happy to take any questions you may
have
Thank you for listening