Late life physical inactivity is one of the most common risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias (ADRD) with up to 49% of adults over age 65 not meeting the physical activity (PA) guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or higher intensity aerobic activity per week based (Du et al., JAMA Network Open, 2019). Developing intervention approaches that enable older adults who have a high burden of chronic conditions to engage in movement are critically needed. Reducing sedentary time (ST) is an alternate approach that could help more functionally impaired older adults to slowly increase their ability to stand and move more. In this session, we present 3 intervention studies that have sought to develop innovative approaches to promoting PA and reduced ST. In the first presentation, Dr. Rosenberg will provide an overview of the Systematic Multi-domain Alzheimer’s Risk Reduction Trial (SMARRT) and will provide the results from the accelerometer sub-study within the trial regarding the effect of the 2-year intervention on sedentary time and physical activity. In the second presentation, Dr. Gothe will present changes in the daily activity profile of middle aged and older adults following a 6-month exercise intervention designed to combat cognitive aging. In the third presentation, Ms. Greenwood-Hickman will present the protocol and initial feasibility data for a planned cultural adaptation of a stepped ST and PA intervention in the older Hispanic/Latino(a) community that leverages psychosocial mediators (e.g., enjoyment, self-efficacy) to promote increased activity and, ultimately, healthy cognitive aging. Finally, Dr. Gardiner will discuss the findings and place them in context with larger efforts to prevent ADRD and promote PA and reduced ST in older populations.
