Culturally tailored program helps UK seniors sit less and move more

By Hugo Francisco de SouzaReviewed by Susha Cheriyedath, M.Sc.May 21 2025

A new study reveals that culturally sensitive, home-based interventions could help older adults in diverse communities move more and sit less, unlocking healthier aging for all.

Study: Qualitative exploration of the acceptability of a 12-week intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour among ethnically diverse older adults. Image Credit: India Picture / Shutterstock

In a recent study published in the journal BMJ Open, researchers conducted a qualitative study to evaluate the acceptability of whether the United Kingdom's (UK's) ethnically diverse older adults (OA; age ≥65 years, n = 20), the least active and most sedentary subpopulation in the country, are willing to accept behavioral change interventions (12 weeks) designed to reduce sedentary behavior.

Notably, participants were excluded if they had physical impairments restricting daily activity or engaged in recommended physical activity levels (≥150 minutes/week) at baseline. While the study predominantly recruited well-educated participants, which may limit generalizability to lower-education groups, its findings reveal that OAs accept behavioral change interventions. Encouragingly, participants perceived that the intervention helped them reduce sedentary behavior, supporting its potential for further study and providing the foundation for future effectiveness trials.

Data Analysis

Data analysis involved reflexive thematic analysis (RTA; Braun and Clarke, 2022) to identify patterns and themes in transcribed interview data using the four UK Medical Research Council (MRC) classification themes: 1. Acceptability, 2. Usability, 3. Functionality, and 4. Recruitment/Retention. Identified themes were coded, subgrouped, and randomly cross-checked to ensure reliability, transferability (to future studies), and credibility.

Study Findings

RTA results revealed that most OAs were highly accepting of the intervention, finding the multicomponent intervention satisfying, engaging, accessible, and effective. Participants reported that the WAT’s reminders (voice alerts and vibrations) and weekly messages prompted them to break sedentary periods. They suggested improvements in WAT design (smaller size, adjustable reminder frequency/volume) and functionality. Participants also highlighted self-reported strategies to reduce sedentary time, and home environment modifications (e.g., decluttering spaces for movement) were emphasized as essential factors in intervention efficacy. However, some participants noted mixed opinions on the 12-week duration, with suggestions for shorter or longer periods to solidify habit formation.

Limitations

A notable study limitation is that most recruited OAs are well-educated, which may restrict the generalizability of these findings. Excluding older adults with physical impairments may further limit applicability to frailer populations. Additionally, the single-arm design limits causal inferences but aligns with the study’s focus on acceptability. The primary researcher conducting both intervention delivery and interviews may have introduced bias. As a feasibility study, long-term adherence was beyond the scope of this research. Researchers underscore that sociocultural factors, particularly SES, belief systems, and language, must be carefully analysed when developing future, individual-specific intervention programs. Nonetheless, participants reported perceived benefits in reducing sedentary behavior, highlighting the intervention’s potential in facilitating healthy aging.

Conclusions

The present study reveals that the UK’s OAs accept interventions to minimize their SBs. Its positive preliminary findings highlight the potential for culturally adapted, home-based interventions (e.g., optimizing home spaces for activity) to promote healthy aging across an ethnically diverse OA population. Future effectiveness trials must pay close attention to participants' personal and sociocultural beliefs when designing interventions and awareness programs and incorporate objective measures of sedentary behavior reduction.