Physical activity and sedentary behavior in older adults — Literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v14i10.49735Keywords:
Older adults, Sedentary behavior, Quality of life, Physical activity, Cardiometabolic health.Abstract
The present study aims to conduct a literature review on the association between physical activity and sedentary behavior in the health of older adults. This narrative review, drawing exclusively on systematic reviews retrieved from PubMed and BVS, synthesizes evidence on the links between physical activity, sedentary behavior, and older adults’ health. Consistent findings show that moderate-to-vigorous activity relates to higher quality of life, lower mortality, and better cardiometabolic, cognitive, and emotional outcomes. Prolonged sedentary time is associated with adverse body composition, increased cardiometabolic risk, and functional and cognitive decline. Common barriers include functional limitations, fear of falling, and psychosocial factors, whereas facilitators include social support and perceived benefits. Multicomponent interventions, including usable and tailored digital approaches, increase activity levels, though reductions in sedentary time remain modest. Integrated, context-sensitive strategies that balance 24-hour movement are therefore crucial.
References
Chastin, S. F. M., Buck, C., Freiberger, E., Murphy, M., Brug, J., Cardon, G., O’Donoghue, G., Pigeot, I., & Oppert, J.-M. (2015). Systematic literature review of determinants of sedentary behaviour in older adults: A DEDIPAC study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12, 127. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-015-0292-3
Ciaccioni, S., Compernolle, S., Lerfald, M., Palumbo, F., Fadda, F., Toma, G., Akpinar, S., Borodulin, K., Caglar, E., Cardon, G., Celen, M. C., Cieślińska-Świder, J., Cortis, C., Di Credico, A., Emirzeoğlu, M., Fusco, A., Gallardo Gómez, D., Hagen, L. M., … Ernstsen, L. (2025). Modifiable determinants of older adults’ physical activity and sedentary behavior in community and healthcare settings: A DE-PASS systematic review and meta-analysis. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 22(1), 9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-025-00373-y
Cunningham, C., O’Sullivan, R., Caserotti, P., & Tully, M. A. (2020). Consequences of physical inactivity in older adults: A systematic review of reviews and meta-analyses. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 30(5), 816–827. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13616
De Rezende, L. F. M., Rey-López, J. P., Matsudo, V. K. R., & do Luiz, O. C. (2014). Sedentary behavior and health outcomes among older adults: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 14, 333. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-333
Di Pumpo, M., Miatton, A., Riccardi, M. T., Graps, E. A., Baldo, V., Buja, A., & Damiani, G. (2025). Effects of digital health interventions on physical activity levels in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and semi-quantitative analysis.
Franco, M. R., Tong, A., Howard, K., Sherrington, C., Ferreira, P. H., Pinto, R. Z., & Ferreira, M. L. (2015). Older people’s perspectives on participation in physical activity: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative literature. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 49(19), 1268–1276. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-094015
Hajizadeh, A., Hafezi, R., Torabi, F., Sari, A. A., & Tajvar, M. (2025). Consequences of population ageing on health systems: A conceptual framework for policy and practice. Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences, 35, 51–62. https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v35i1.8
Harvey, J. A., Chastin, S. F. M., & Skelton, D. A. (2015). How sedentary are older people? A systematic review of the amount of sedentary behavior. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 23(3), 471–487. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2014-0164
Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). (2022). Censo demográfico 2022: Resultados preliminares. Autor. https://www.ibge.gov.br/censo/
Jones, R. L., Cooper, D. L., Zakrzewski-Fruer, J. K., & Bailey, D. P. (2025). Association between total daily sedentary time and cardiometabolic biomarkers in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 22(9), 1086–1105. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2025-0100
Khan, A., Ezeugwa, J., & Ezeugwu, V. E. (2024). A systematic review of the associations between sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. PLOS ONE, 19(3), e0293382. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293382
Kong, M. H., & Oh, Y. H. (2020). Sedentary lifestyle: Overview of updated evidence of potential health risks. Korean Journal of Family Medicine, 41(6), 365–373. https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.20.0165
Napetschnig, A., & Deiters, W. (2025). Identifying technical, social, and psychological requirements for innovative technologies to promote physical activity in older adults: A systematic review.
Pereira, A. S. (2018). Metodologia da pesquisa científica. [free ebook]. Santa Maria. Editora da UFSM.
Razzoli, M., Nyuyki-Dufe, K., Gurney, A., Erickson, C., McCallum, J., Spielman, N., Marzullo, M., Patricelli, J., Kurata, M., Pope, E., Touma, C., Palme, R., Largaespada, D., Allison, D., & Bartolomucci, A. (2018). Social stress shortens lifespan in mice. Aging Cell, 17(3), e12778. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12778
Rollo, S., Antsygina, O., & Tremblay, M. S. (2020). The whole day matters: Understanding 24-hour movement guideline adherence and relationships with health indicators across the lifespan. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 9(6), 493–510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.07.004
Rother, E. T. (2007). Revisão sistemática x revisão narrativa. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem. 20(2), 5-6.
Royse, L., Baker, B., Warne-Griggs, M., Miller, K., Weitzel, K., Ball, S., & Duren, D. (2023). “It’s not time for us to sit down yet”: How group exercise programs can motivate physical activity and overcome barriers in inactive older adults. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 18, 2216034. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2023.2216034
Runacres, A., Mackintosh, K. A., Knight, R. L., Sheeran, L., Thatcher, R., Shelley, J., & McNarry, M. A. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sedentary behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(21), 11286. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111286
Silva, N. C. B., Barha, C. K., Erickson, K. I., Kramer, A. F., & Liu-Ambrose, T. (2024). Physical exercise, cognition, and brain health in aging. Trends in Neurosciences, 47(5), 402–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2024.04.004
Wang, Q., Cui, C., Zhang, N., Lin, W., Chai, S., Chow, S., Wong, R., Hu, Y., Law, S., & Cheung, W. (2024). Effects of physical exercise on neuromuscular junction degeneration during ageing: A systematic review. Journal of Orthopaedic Translation, 46, 91–102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jot.2024.03.007
Wu, J., Chan, F., & Ditchman, N. (2024). The Health Action Process Approach to promote regular physical activity among people with disabilities: A hierarchical regression analysis. Rehabilitation Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000589
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Rafael Otino Oliveira de Freitas, Leonardo Martin Moreno Romero, Paula Adriana dos Santos de Fontes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
