The ASPIDA project: Physical activity, physical function, falls and quality of life in older adults

A physically active lifestyle is important for healthy ageing. Yet with regard to falls, beneficial and harmful effects of specific physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) patterns, like bouted and total PA of various intensities, are unclear. The study aims to explore the relationships of objectively measured PA and SB patterns with physical function, falls and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults at high/low risk of falls; also, to identify psychosocial determinants of PA and SB patterns, namely motivation, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, fear of falls, depression. Methods. This is an observational study with 12-month follow-up, part of the wider multidisciplinary ASPIDA project, is set up at community centers in municipality of Rodopi, Northern Greece. Baseline recruitment will place from October 2021 to October 2022 with the aim to recruit 300 adults over 65 years. Measures include accelometry (waist-worn Actigraph GT3X, GT9X), questionnaires and physical performance tests repeated at baseline and follow-up visits to recruiting sites, with quarterly recording of falls via telephone contact. Regression models will examine if changes in hypothesized determinants predict changes in outcome variables for each aim and path analysis will examine multivariate relationships and hypothesized process models. Discussion. Examining theory-informed underlying mechanisms of PA/ SB behaviours and implications of PA/ SB for function, falls and well-being, the study will build a comprehensive evidence base for understanding this modifiable lifestyle factor in community-dwelling older adults. Findings will guide the development of lifestyle interventions, such as community- and home-based PA interventions, to improve the selected outcomes.

A. Kanavaki, N. Aggelousis, M.Michalopoulou and the ASPIDA Group