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STAND UP - Sedentary Behaviour in Older Adults: Investigating a New Therapeutic Paradigm

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Older Adults
Interventions
Behavioral: Standing
Behavioral: Sitting
Behavioral: Walking
Registration Number
NCT02453204
Lead Sponsor
University of Leicester
Brief Summary

Research has shown that reducing the time spent sitting can reduce the risk of many diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and improve health. It is estimated that many older adults typically spend 70% of their waking day sitting, but little is known about whether reducing sitting promotes health and well-being in this age group. The aim of this research is to investigate the health effects of reducing sitting time by replacing it with short periods of standing or walking in adults over the age of 65.

Detailed Description

Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
76
Inclusion Criteria
  • Adults aged between 65 to 79 years inclusive
  • Able to walk (without any assistive devices and not requiring assistance from another person)
  • Ability to communicate in and understand English to participate in the informed consent process.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Regular purposeful exercise (≥75 minutes of self-reported vigorous exercise per week)
  • Inability to stand or undertake light ambulation
  • Psychological condition which limits participation in the study (e.g. dementia)
  • Inability to communicate or understand English
  • Steroid use
  • Use of glucose lowering medication
  • Inability to give informed consent

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
CROSSOVER
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
StandingStandingParticipants will be asked to break their sitting time by standing for five minutes every 30 minutes. Participants will be asked to stand in the same position with no further instructions provided. In total, individuals will accumulate 12 bouts (60 minutes) of standing throughout the test period.
SittingSittingParticipants will remain sitting throughout the test period whilst undertaking typical sedentary behaviours such as watching TV, using a computer, reading and writing. Walking and standing will be restricted.
WalkingWalkingThe walking condition will be identical to standing, but the breaks in sitting time will be punctuated with five minute bouts of self-paced walking rather than standing.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Insulin area under the curve3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Samples will be batched and analysed at the end of the study within a certified research laboratory at the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences (ICAMS), University of Glasgow. Samples collected at the Leicester Diabetes Centre will be sent by courier in specialist containers and packed with dry ice.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Glucose area under the curve3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month
Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (1-9)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Sleep quality measured using the 9-point Likert Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (1= "very alert" to 9= "very sleepy, fighting sleep, an effort to keep awake") based on a self-reported subjective assessment of the participant's level of drowsiness at the time.

1H NMR Metabolomics spectroscopy3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Hydrogen-1 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance assessment undertaken on blood samples collected throughout experimental intervention days

Felt Arousal Scale (0-5)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Positive affect and mood measured using the 6-point Likert Felt Arousal scale (0 = "low arousal" to 5 = "high arousal") that will be used to assess arousal.

Semantic Verbal Fluency Test (number of items)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

The Semantic Verbal Fluency Test assesses semantic memory and language, and participants will be asked to name as many items as they can that belong to a particular category. The categories selected for each of the experimental days will be clothing and animals.

Trail Making Tests A (time to complete)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

The Trail Making Tests A assesses cognitive flexibility and requires connecting randomly located numbers in numerical order (e.g. 1,2,3,4).

Triglyceride area under the curve3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month
Feeling Scale (-5 to +5)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Positive affect and mood measured using the 11-point Likert Feeling Scale (-5 = "very bad" to +5 = "very good") will be used to assess affective valence.

Rapid Visual Information Processing Test (number of sequences detected and errors)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

The Rapid Visual Information Processing Test assesses sustained visual attention using numbers and requires both selective attention and working memory. This test displays a number on screen that changes between odd and even digits and individuals must detect target sequences of three odd or three even consecutive digits.

Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (number of words recalled)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test assesses verbal learning and working memory and requires immediate and delayed recall of a series of 12 words over three learning trials. Participants will be requested to undertake the delayed recall component at the end of the first set of cognitive function tests and during the second set of cognitive function tests on experimental intervention days.

Trail Making Tests B (time to complete)3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

The Trail Making Tests B assesses cognitive flexibility and requires connecting randomly located numbers and letters in numerical and alphabetical order alternately (e.g. 1,A,2,B,3,C).

Blood pressure3 experimental intervention study visits over an estimated period of 1 month

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Leicester Diabetes Centre, Diabetes Research Unit, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital

🇬🇧

Leicester, United Kingdom

BHF Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, 126 University Avenue

🇬🇧

Glasgow, United Kingdom

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