Digital Peer Support to Increase Walking Among Older Adults: Cluster Randomized Trial

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Digital Health
• Physical Activity Interventions

Background:

• Aging populations face increased physical inactivity and health risks.
• Smartphone-based programs offer scalable solutions for promoting activity in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if a smartphone lecture program with a digital peer support app increases physical activity in older adults compared to a standard program.
• To assess changes in daily step count, physical activity levels, and smartphone usage.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week, 2-arm, cluster-randomized trial in Japan involving community-dwelling adults aged ≥60.
• Intervention group received lectures plus a peer support app (Minchalle); control group received standard lectures.
• Primary outcome: change in weekly average daily step count; secondary outcomes: total MET-minutes, walking time, smartphone use.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed a significant increase in daily step count at Week 12 (difference=579 steps, P=.04).
• No significant differences were found in total MET-minutes or walking time (≥30 min/day).
• The intervention significantly increased daily smartphone use and the number of smartphone use purposes.

Conclusions:

• Integrating app-based peer support into smartphone lectures led to modest, meaningful improvements in step counts for older Japanese adults.
• The findings suggest potential for digital health interventions to enhance physical activity and technology engagement in older populations.
• Further research is needed to explore long-term effects and optimize digital health programs for diverse older adult groups.