Physical activity and exercise
Physical activity is essential for the promotion and maintenance of health across the life-course, yet with advancing age, increasing sedentary behaviour is common. This can lead to functional decline and increased risk of morbidity and disability.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour and current Chief Medical Officers Physical Activity Guidelines (CMO PAG) recommend older adults undertake at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity throughout the week, with functional balance and strength training on three or more days a week.
But these recommendations require concerted efforts to support older generations to achieve sustained improvements of physical activity, with their individual needs and preferences taken into account.
Healthy ageing academic researchers at The University of Manchester work to develop evidence of what works to increase uptake and adherence to physical activity/exercise, and reduce risk of morbidity and frailty for those approaching later life.
We currently work extensively with adults over the age of 50 years who may be experiencing a range of conditions, such as deconditioning, balance impairment, frailty and cognitive decline. Our current projects range from promoting physical activity to reduce the risk of dementia and the prevention of declining function by supporting older adults to become more physically and socially active within their communities, to examining the implementation of evidence-based strength and balance interventions to prevent falls.
Through all of our research activity, we follow and adhere to several national guidelines including, but not limited to, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Physical Activity Guidelines.
Current projects
Our projects relating to physical activity and exercise are funded through and conducted via the NIHR Greater Manchester Applied Research Collaboration Healthy Ageing Theme.
- Acceptability of the Signpost to Health intervention for pre-frail adults
- The ACE (Active Connected Engaged) Study
- Assessing the effects of physical activity interventions on the maintenance of cognitive function in midlife to reduce the risk of cognitive decline
- Behaviour Change Interventions in Later Life
- Deconditioning in hospitalised patients with dementia
- Does following the Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines lead to strength gain in older adults? A mixed methods study.
- Exploring the evidence-based underpinning of strength prescription for people aged 65 years and older in the UK
- The FLEXI Implementation and Cost Analysis Study
- Interventions for promoting physical activity and/or reducing sedentary behaviour in the workplace for older workers: A scoping review
- Keep On Keep Up (KOKU): Developing & implementing a digital falls prevention & healthy ageing technology with older adults
- Understanding older South Asian perceptions of digital health technologies for exercise and falls prevention and testing a translated and adapted Keep On Keep Up (KOKU) digital application
- Development and evaluation of a digital health programme for falls prevention and to improve well-being in people living with dementia in the community
- Standing Tall-er
The Healthy Ageing Policy Research Unit is also conducting research into how to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour among older people.