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BACKGROUND: Insufficient multicomponent physical activity is prevalent in older adults. In China, a series of supportive policies to promote physical activity (PA) has been implemented. However, feasible PA interventions to promote multicomponent PA among community-dwelling older adults are limited. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to develop a multicomponent PA intervention program for community-dwelling older adults and assess the feasibility. METHODS: The multicomponent PA intervention was developed by a multidisciplinary working group based on Social Cognitive Theory, the Transtheoretical Model, and behavior change techniques. A three-month feasibility study was conducted in a community in Hangzhou, China. Feasibility was tested by Bowen’s framework for assessing the acceptability, demand, implementation, practicality, adaptation, integration, expansion, and limited efficacy of the PA intervention program. Demographic and clinical information, group exercise attendance, experience questionnaires, physical measurements, and self-reported exercise records were collected. RESULTS: The developed PA intervention combined face-to-face group exercise in a community center and home-based exercise assisted by a WeChat applet or exercise manuals, with a weekly goal of engaging in multicomponent exercise at least three days per week recommended by PA guidelines for older adults. A total of 20 participants were recruited for the feasibility study. Overall, 19 participants (95%) completed the intervention in the feasibility study (average age 77 (SD 9) years), with 12 participants using the WeChat applet and 7 using the exercise manuals for home-based exercises. The intervention satisfied all of Bowen’s feasibility criteria. In the third month, 93% of the WeChat applet group and 79% of the non-WeChat applet group adhered to weekly exercise goals. After three months of intervention, statistically significant improvements were observed in physical activity level (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly score + 33.6, 95% CI 23.5to 43.6), grip strength (mean difference + 1.4 kg, 95% CI 0.1 to 2.7) and chair stand test (mean difference − 3.5 s, 95% CI -4.9 to -2.2). CONCLUSION: High exercise adherence was observed throughout the three-month intervention. The theory-based blended PA intervention program was quite feasible in real-world settings, serving as a novel model for promoting multicomponent PA engagement among community-dwelling older adults in China. A future large-scale randomized controlled trial is needed to test the long-term effectiveness and scalability of the PA intervention program. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
Hua et al. (Mon,) studied this question.