A team led by health scientists Kazuhiro Izawa and Masahiro Kitamura from Kobe University has shown that self-monitoring is an effective means of promoting physical activity in older people who need long-term care support. They asked participants to set goals such as increasing their step count, increasing their light physical activity, and reducing their sedentary time, and monitor their progress daily by recording it on a calendar using an accelerometer. I asked for it. Once a week, they received feedback from their health care provider about their progress.Credit: Kobe University
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A team led by health scientists Kazuhiro Izawa and Masahiro Kitamura from Kobe University has shown that self-monitoring is an effective means of promoting physical activity in older adults who need long-term care support. They asked participants to set goals such as increasing their step count, increasing their light physical activity, and reducing their sedentary time, and monitor their progress daily by recording it on a calendar using an accelerometer. I asked for it. Once a week, they received feedback from their health care provider about their progress.Credit: Kobe University
Self-monitoring of physical activity with accelerometers and feedback is an effective tool to improve physical activity in older adults who require long-term support. Kobe University research shows for the first time that physical activity can be improved in this population through simple and safe means, which is expected to prevent serious illness and reduce long-term care costs.
It is well known that walking more and sitting less often has a significant impact on a wide range of non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, orthopedic conditions, and stroke. This is particularly problematic for older adults who rely on long-term care, such as day care centers, as they are known to take fewer steps and spend more time sitting than healthy people of the same age.
This not only increases the risk of illness and reduces the health-related quality of life of these people, but also strains the already stretched resources of the health system. Although it is known that self-monitoring can improve physical activity even among older adults, the effectiveness of this approach in this high-risk population has not been shown.
After being explained about the importance of increasing physical activity and receiving an accelerometer, study participants who were encouraged to set goals and track their progress and received feedback took an average of 1268 steps per day. This increased from 1683 steps. Duration of light physical activity per day decreased from 277 to 293 minutes, and time spent sitting decreased from 547 to 523 minutes per day. In the control group, which did not track progress or receive feedback, physical activity did not improve.Credit: Kazuhiro Izawa
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After being explained about the importance of increasing physical activity and receiving an accelerometer, study participants who were encouraged to set goals and track their progress and received feedback took an average of 1268 steps per day. This increased from 1683 steps. Duration of light physical activity per day decreased from 277 to 293 minutes, and time spent sitting decreased from 547 to 523 minutes per day. In the control group, which did not track progress or receive feedback, physical activity did not improve.Credit: Kazuhiro Izawa
A Kobe University research team consisting of health scientists Kazuhiro Izawa and Masahiro Kitamura conducted a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of self-monitoring of physical activity in 52 long-term care patients at day care centers in Japan. , filled this gap. They educated participants on the importance of increasing physical activity and asked participants to wear accelerometers that tracked steps, time spent sitting, and activity of various intensities.
The 26 participants in the intervention group were further asked to record their progress on a daily calendar and receive weekly feedback and advice.
The results are now published in the journal geriatric medicine in europe The intervention group was shown to take more steps, spend less time sitting, and engage in more light physical activity.
The authors conclude, “The results of an intervention to promote physical activity in this target population were novel to this study.Older adults in need of long-term care are less mobile and active than healthy older adults. “Increasing physical activity is not easy as physical activity is declining.” ”
“However, goals such as increasing your step count are easy to understand and implement, and goals such as reducing time spent on sedentary activities such as standing or taking short walks can be accomplished indoors and are highly mobile.” It’s an activity that doesn’t require sex.” ”
Study participants wore the accelerometers for at least 10 hours per day, five days a week for five weeks. The device recorded the number of steps he took per day and his “metabolic equivalent” every 10 seconds, and was used to calculate the amount of time he spent sitting doing light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity. .Credit: Kazuhiro Izawa
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Study participants wore the accelerometers for at least 10 hours per day, five days a week for five weeks. The device recorded the number of steps he took per day and his “metabolic equivalent” every 10 seconds, and was used to calculate the amount of time he spent sitting doing light, moderate, or vigorous physical activity. .Credit: Kazuhiro Izawa
This was the first study to include sedentary time as well as a self-monitoring step, so the two may have influenced each other. Researchers from Kobe University said, “Previous studies in healthy older adults reported that a decrease in sedentary behavior led to an increase in moderate to vigorous physical activity; They are similar to some extent.”
Izawa further added, “While traditional self-monitoring interventions have primarily focused on step count, this study focused on both step count and sedentary behavior. As a result, this may drive behavioral change. It is thought that he may have done so,” he added.
This study clearly shows the effectiveness of simple measures such as wearing an accelerometer, self-monitoring, and receiving feedback on your physical activity progress, but it is important to understand the actual benefits on health-related quality of life. Five weeks was too short a period.
Dr. Izawa and Dr. Kitamura said, “The results of this study may provide an important basis for future research on promoting physical activity in older adults who require support.In particular, self-monitoring interventions may improve physical activity.” future studies should include larger samples, a broader range of activities, and long-term follow-up should be included.”
For more information:
Masahiro Kitamura et al., Effects of self-monitoring using accelerometers on physical activity in elderly people covered by long-term care insurance in Japan: A randomized controlled trial, geriatric medicine in europe (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s41999-024-00935-w
