Discussion
SECONDARY
In this cluster randomized trial of adults aged 60 years or older in China, an 8-week multilevel intervention based on a socioecological model resulted in a statistically significant increase in leisure-time activity compared with the control during 24 months of follow-up. Results were also suggestive of statistically significant changes in secondary outcomes, including proportions of participants meeting WHO recommendations and increased total physical activity, although changes in the latter were not sustained for a longer term (12 and 24 months). Time spent in leisure-time sitting was lower in the intervention group at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 24 months. For household activity and work-related activity, no significant differences between groups were found.Several randomized trials conducted in Western countries have examined the effects of physical activity intervention in older adults.In line with previous studies,Furthermore, the effects on proportions of participants meeting WHO recommendations diminished at 24 months, although absolute leisure-time activity levels maintained an increase during 24 months. A possible explanation could be that older adults tended to do more light-intensity sports (eg, walking) and less moderate- or vigorous-intensity sports over time. However, a previous study suggested that older adults who performed moderate- or vigorous-intensity sports below current WHO recommendations had a 22% reduction in mortality compared with those reporting 0 minutes per week of moderate- or vigorous-intensity sports.