There was no evidence for a relationship between intervention effectiveness and mode of delivery or number of intervention contacts ; however , interventions which involved individually tailoring with personalized activity goals or provision of information about local opportunities in the environment may be more effective .
Conclusions Interventions in adults aged 55 to 70 years led to long term improvements in physical activity at 12 months ; however , maintenance beyond this is unclear .
Identified physical activity improvements are likely to have substantial health benefits in reducing the risk of age-related illnesses .
Background Retirement represents a major transitional life stage in middle to older age .
Changes in physical activity typically accompany this transition , which has significant consequences for health and well-being .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effect of interventions to promote physical activity in adults aged 55 to 70 years , focusing on studies that reported long-term effectiveness .
A new approach to physical activity maintenance: Rationale, design, and baseline data from the Keep Active Minnesota trial
Background Since many individuals who initiate physical  activity programs are highly likely to return to a sedentary lifestyle , innovative strategies to efforts to increase the number of physically active older adults who successfully maintain beneficial levels of PA for a substantial length of time are needed . Methods / Design The Keep Active Minnesota Trial is a r and omized controlled trial of an interactive phone- and mail-based intervention to help 50–70 year old adults who have recently increased their physical activity level , maintain that activity level over a 24-month period in comparison to usual care . Baseline , 6 , 12 , and 24 month measurement occurred via phone surveys with kilocalories expended per week in total and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity ( CHAMPS Question naire ) as the primary outcome measures . Secondary outcomes include hypothesized mediators of physical activity change ( e.g. , physical activity enjoyment , self-efficacy , physical activity self-concept ) , body mass index , and depression . Seven day accelerometry data were collected on a sub- sample of participants at baseline and 24-month follow-up . Discussion The Keep Active Minnesota study offers an innovative approach to the perennial problem of physical activity relapse ; by focusing explicitly on physical activity maintenance , the intervention holds considerable promise for modifying the typical relapse curve . Moreover , if shown to be efficacious , the use of phone- and mail-based intervention delivery offers potential for widespread dissemination . Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov Identifier : NCT00283452
There was no evidence for a relationship between intervention effectiveness and mode of delivery or number of intervention contacts ; however , interventions which involved individually tailoring with personalized activity goals or provision of information about local opportunities in the environment may be more effective .
Conclusions Interventions in adults aged 55 to 70 years led to long term improvements in physical activity at 12 months ; however , maintenance beyond this is unclear .
Identified physical activity improvements are likely to have substantial health benefits in reducing the risk of age-related illnesses .
Background Retirement represents a major transitional life stage in middle to older age .
Changes in physical activity typically accompany this transition , which has significant consequences for health and well-being .
The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effect of interventions to promote physical activity in adults aged 55 to 70 years , focusing on studies that reported long-term effectiveness .