Effects of self-monitoring using an accelerometer on physical activity of older people with long-term care insurance in Japan: a randomized controlled trial

Key summary points Aim We investigated the effectiveness of a self-monitoring intervention to promote step count and reduce sedentary behavior in older people covered by the long-term care insurance system (LTCI) in Japan. Findings Results from a randomized controlled trial of a self-monitoring intervention using accelerometers with a 5-week follow-up: improvement in a number of steps, light physical activity, and sedentary behavior in the intervention group compared to the control group. Message Self-monitoring with an accelerometer may be effective in increasing the number of steps taken and amount of light physical activity per day and in reducing sedentary behavior in older people with LTCI. Purpose This study aimed to investigate the effects of a self-monitoring intervention to promote an increase in physical activity, as measured by step count, and reduce sedentary behavior in older people covered by the long-term care insurance system (LTCI) in Japan. Methods This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at a daycare center from October 2022 to January 2023. Fifty-two older adults with LTCI who were able to walk with or without aids were assigned to an intervention ( n = 26) group and control ( n = 26) group. During the 5-week follow-up period, the intervention group received education on physical activity and self-monitoring such as goal setting, self-management and feedback. The primary outcome was step count, and the secondary outcome was sedentary behavior. Results Participants who completed the study to the end of the 5-week follow-up and drop-out participants for whom outcome data were available were included in the final analysis of 57 participants, n = 24 (79.8 ± 8.8 years, male 25.5%) in the intervention group and n = 23 (82.5 ± 8.5 years, male 39.1%) in the control group. Comparisons between the two groups at baseline showed no significant differences. In the results of a two-way mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) including 2 (group: control, intervention) × 2 (term: baseline, 5-week follow-up) factors, an interaction was observed in the number of steps, sedentary behavior, and light physical activity ( p