Retraining the Automatic Reaction to Physical Activity and Sedentary Stimuli in Adults 60 Years of Age or Older

Physical activity is one of the top contributors to health, reducing rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and depression. This wide spectrum of benefits is particularly important for older adults, who often suffer structural and functional deterioration in several physiological systems. Physical activity can reduce and delay the impact of this age-related deterioration in health and functional independence. Current interventions to enhance physical activity in older adults rely mainly on reflective processes by providing rational information about the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle. While these interventions successfully increase intention, their effect on actual behavior is weak. That is, most individuals are now aware of the positive effects of regular physical activity and have the intention to exercise. However, this intention is not sufficient and exercise plans are often not executed. This gap between intention and action is a challenge that health professionals need to address to counteract the pandemic of physical inactivity. Recent findings suggest that this inability to turn the intention into action is explained by negative automatic reactions to stimuli associated with physical activity. These automatic reactions could be particularly strong in older adults, who are more likely to associate physical activity with fear, pain, or discomfort. This study aims to test the effect of an intervention that targets the automatic processes underlying physical inactivity in older adults. The intervention is expected to reduce physical inactivity during the intervention and at follow-up, thereby improving physical functioning and quality of life.