Determinants of older adults' sedentary behavior in the context of everyday life: an ecological momentary assessment study.

Abstract

Background: Older adults are highly sedentary, but research has not comprehensively examined the determinants of sedentary behavior (SB) in older adults.

Purpose: The present study sought to assess determinants of SB in older adults' everyday lives.

Methods: Data were collected between 2021 and 2023. Over 1 year, older adults (N = 202, aged ≥ 60 years) participated in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study with three 14-day waves of data collection. At each wave, accelerometer-derived SB was assessed, as well as momentary reports of psychological determinants. To assess behavior-specific reflective constructs, general reflective constructs, and contextual factors, participants responded to 10 EMA prompts per day over 4-days of each wave. Data were analyzed with a two-step multilevel approach estimating (a) the likelihood of any SB occurring in the 60 min following a prompt and (b) on occasions when SB occurred, the volume of SB accumulated in the 60 min following the prompt.

Results: Intentions and self-efficacy were negatively associated with sedentary time at the between- and within-person levels and a significant cross-level interaction was found for planning to limit SB. Positive affect, negative affect, and social context were associated with the likelihood of engaging in any SB and the volume of SB accumulated, but the relationships differed for individuals with higher or lower levels of the constructs.

Conclusions: Both behavior-specific reflective constructs and contextual factors predict SB, but different determinants predict the likelihood of SB occurring and the volume of SB accumulated when SB does occur.