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Testing ways to keep older adults active long term through exercise programs

Opening soon · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

What this means

Researchers plan to compare four types of exercise programs for adults 60 and older. The study has not started yet, so it does not show which approach works.

Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the registry listing.

Status
Opening soon
Who can join
Ages 60 and over · 600 adults aged 60 and older (planned)
Where
1 site

Contacts and how to join ↗

The science

Registered title
Long-Term Engagement and Motivation Through Innovative Strategies in Adapted Physical Activity
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
interventional
Conditions
Aging, Healthy, Aging
What is tested
Group A autonomy arm and classical practice, GROUP B autonomy arm and TEMPA practice, Group C non-autonomy arm and classical practice, Group D non-autonomy arm and TEMPA practice
Sponsor
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
Ages
60 Years to no maximum
Dates
First posted May 19, 2026 · updated May 19, 2026

Registry summary

Aging is associated with progressive declines in physical, functional, and psychosocial capacities, leading to reduced autonomy, increased risk of falls, chronic diseases, and decreased quality of life. Physical inactivity is a major aggravating factor, despite strong evidence that regular physical activity helps prevent age-related decline.

Adapted Physical Activity (APA) has demonstrated beneficial effects on physical function, mental health, pain, and healthcare utilization. However, long-term adherence to APA programs among older adults remains low, with fewer than 20% meeting World Health Organization recommendations. Therefore, innovative strategies are needed to improve sustained engagement in physical activity.

This multicenter, randomized, single-blind interventional study aims to compare the effectiveness of different APA strategies on long-term engagement in physical activity among adults aged 60 years and older.

A total of 600 participants will be randomized into four groups combining two key factors: (1) autonomy-based vs. non-autonomy-based approaches, and (2) classical APA vs. TEMPA-based APA programs. Each intervention consists of a 12-week program including 24 supervised sessions, with some groups incorporating a progressive transition toward autonomous practice.

The primary outcome is long-term physical activity engagement assessed using the QAPPA questionnaire at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months.

Secondary outcomes include:

Objective and self-reported physical activity levels (questionnaires and wearable devices) Functional capacities (muscle strength, endurance, gait speed, balance, cardiorespiratory fitness) Motivational and perceptual factors (e.g., enjoyment, fatigue, perceived effort, motivation) Quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) Biological markers (inflammatory, metabolic, metabolomic, and epigenetic profiles) to identify predictors of adherence and physiological response Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio)

Statistical analyses will be conducted using mixed linear models for repeated measures to evaluate time, group, and interaction effects. Additional analyses will include descriptive statistics, group comparisons, longitudinal trends, and economic evaluations.

This study aims to identify effective and sustainable APA strategies to improve long-term physical activity engagement and inform public health policies for older adults.

Sites (1)

  • CHU de Nice - Hopital de Cimiez, Nice, France
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