Exploring the perceptions of sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults aged 75 and older: a series of focus group interviews

Background

Older adults are the most sedentary and fastest-growing demographic, yet adults aged ≥ 75 years are underrepresented in sedentary behaviour research. This study qualitatively explored how this age group perceives sedentary behaviour, the activities they perform in sitting and standing, and the barriers and facilitators to reducing their sedentary behaviour.

Methods

Four focus groups were conducted with a consistent group of 6 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 75 years from West Yorkshire were held between October-December 2022. Audio recordings and focus group notes were transcribed verbatim and an inductive and deductive thematic analysis was conducted. The activities performed in sitting and standing were charted to the ecological model of sedentary behaviour, and barriers and facilitators to reducing sedentary time were charted to the Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) framework.

Results

Participants were largely unaware of their sedentary behaviour or the associated health risks. Sitting activities were predominantly leisurely in nature, and occurred in older adults’ homes. Barriers and facilitators to reducing sedentary behaviour were mapped to the COM-B model. Key influences included physical and mental health, environmental constraints, social support, ingrained routines, and limited awareness of the health impacts of prolonged sitting. Analytical themes included the perceived progression of sedentary behaviour throughout older adulthood; the impact of prolonged sitting on sleep; and the role of social connectedness in reducing sedentary time.

Conclusions

This study provided insights into older adults’ reports of sedentary behaviour progressing throughout older adulthood. When compared to the wider literature, sedentary behaviour in adults aged ≥ 75 years present similarly to a younger subset of older adults with regards to the activities performed in sitting, and the barriers and facilitators to reducing their sedentary time. However, the activities performed in sitting may be performed for longer, and the barriers to reducing sedentary behaviour may present more frequently. Social support appears valuable when attempting to reduce sedentary time, however, further research is necessary to explore the views of older adults who are socially isolated.