Sedentary behaviour consensus statement for older men and women: Development and results

Abstract

Sedentary behaviour has been established as an independent predictor of health and quality of life among older adults. A large proportion of older adults are engaging in 8 or more hours of sedentary time per day. While a significant amount of work has been conducted by international experts to better understand the determinants of sedentary behaviour among older adults, little has been done to understand 1) the range of health consequences and the dose of sedentary time associated with these consequences 2) the effectiveness or potential of sedentary time reduction interventions, and finally, 3) the validity and reliability of existing self-reported measures among older adults. This consensus statement was created using three steps: a systematic review of the literature, a two-step Delphi consensus process, and an in-person meeting of experts. The purpose of the consensus statement was to understand the state of the current literature in each of the aforementioned areas and to determine research priorities. Another important purpose was to create evidence-based recommendations for public health use. A total of 2900 abstracts were identified through the search. Of these, 91 were deemed eligible for review. Three Delphi surveys were sent to 15 international researchers across 4 continents. The results of the review and Delphi were discussed at the in-person meeting to create the consensus statement. Results of this process will be shared.

Acknowledgments: Candian Institute of Health Research and Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology