Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39251904›Full record

Trial reportBMC geriatrics2024

The frail-LESS (LEss sitting and sarcopenia in frail older adults) remote intervention to improve sarcopenia and maintain independent living via reductions in sedentary behaviour: findings from a randomised controlled feasibility trial.

Daniel P Bailey, Jamie H Harper, Cherry Kilbride, Laura J McGowan, Christina Victor, Marsha L Brierley, Angel M Chater

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC geriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour in community-dwelling older adults: a mixed-method review.The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity · 2025
    Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Review
  5. Effectiveness of mobile health interventions on physical activity management in frail older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity · 2026
    Review
  6. Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Development and Validation of a Nomogram Predicting Sarcopenia in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financing
    Article
  12. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Daniel P BaileyCentre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK. Daniel.bailey@brunel.ac.uk.
Jamie H HarperCentre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK.
Cherry KilbrideCentre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK.
Laura J McGowanNIHR Policy Research Unit in Behavioural Science - Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Christina VictorDivision of Global Public Health, Brunel University London, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK.
Marsha L BrierleyCentre for Physical Activity in Health and Disease, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, UB8 3PH, Uxbridge, UK.
Angel M ChaterInstitute for Sport and Physical Activity Research, University of Bedfordshire, Polhill Avenue, MK41 9EA, Bedford, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSarcopenia leads to functional disability, dependence in activities of daily living (ADL), and is a key contributor to frailty. Reducing and breaking up sedentary time is associated with improved sarcopenia and frailty-related outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of delivering and evaluating a remote sedentary behaviour intervention to improve sarcopenia and independent living in older adults with frailty.

methodsA two-arm randomised controlled feasibility trial was conducted with a target of 60 older adults (mean age 74 ± 6 years) with very mild or mild frailty. Participants were randomised to the Frail-LESS (LEss Sitting and Sarcopenia in Frail older adults) intervention or usual care control group for six months. The intervention included tailored feedback on sitting, standing and stepping; an education workbook that included goal setting and action planning; one-to-one health coaching; peer support; and a wearable device to self-monitor sedentary behaviour. Participant recruitment (percentage of eligible individuals recruited), retention and data completion rates were used to assess trial feasibility. Acceptability of the trial was explored through interviews and safety was evaluated via unplanned healthcare utilisation and number of falls. Sitting, standing, stepping and sarcopenia were measured to evaluate potential intervention effects.

resultsSixty participants were recruited. Recruitment and retention rates were 72% and 83%, respectively. Completion rates for outcome measures ranged from 70 to 100%. The trial was safe (< 1 fall per participant on average at each timepoint) and trial procedures were acceptable. Descriptive analysis (mean ± SD) showed that daily sitting was 25.1 ± 82.1 min/day lower in the intervention group, and 6.4 ± 60.5 min/day higher in the control group, at 6 months compared with baseline. Hand grip strength and sit-to-stand score were improved by 1.3 ± 2.4 kg and 0.7 ± 1.0, respectively, in the intervention group.

conclusionsThis study demonstrates the feasibility and safety of delivering and evaluating a remote intervention to reduce and break up sitting in older adults with frailty. The intervention showed evidence towards reducing daily sitting and improving sarcopenia, supporting its evaluation in a definitive randomised controlled trial.

trial registrationISRCTN registry (registration number: ISRCTN17158017). Registered 6th August 2021.

Indexed as

Feasibility StudiesFrail ElderlyIndependent LivingSarcopeniaSedentary BehaviorAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleFrailtyHumansMaleSitting PositionBehaviour changeFeasibility studyFrailtyPhysical functionSarcopeniaSedentary behaviourSitting

Identifiers

PMID39251904
PMCPMC11382500

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.