ReviewEuropean review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity2026
Efficacy of activity tracker-based interventions and their behavioral components in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behavior in older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.
Review in European review of aging and physical activity : official journal of the European Group for Research into Elderly and Physical Activity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOlder adults often exhibit insufficient physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB), which contributes to chronic disease, functional decline, and reduced independence. From a public health perspective, low-threshold interventions are needed to promote PA and reduce SB in older adults. Wearable activity trackers offer a promising strategy by providing real-time feedback and integrating behavior change techniques (BCTs). However, evidence regarding their efficacy in older adults is still limited and inconsistent.
methodsA systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of activity trackers in increasing PA and reducing SB in older adults. This review extended previous research by examining the behavioral intervention components in activity trackers. In addition, it assessed a broad range of PA and SB outcomes, categorizing them according to intervention duration to differentiate between short- (≤ 3 months), medium- (> 3–6 months), and long-term effects (> 6 months). Eligible studies met the following criteria: (a) RCT; (b) older adults (≥ 60 years or mean age ≥ 60 years minus 1 SD) not recruited for specific diseases; (c) use of an activity tracker ≥ 2 weeks; (d) comparison with at least one control group; and (e) report of PA or SB outcomes. Four databases (CENTRAL, PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science) and additional sources were screened. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool.
resultsEighteen RCTs (N = 2,841) met the inclusion criteria. Most studies reported positive effects of activity trackers on PA, particularly regarding steps per day and intensity-related PA outcomes, with effects observed in the short- and medium-term. For SB, some studies indicated a reduction in self-reported SB, whereas no improvements were reported for objectively measured SB. Most interventions combined activity trackers with multiple BCTs, most frequently goal setting, self-monitoring, and feedback on behavior. Interventions using these components more consistently demonstrated positive outcomes, indicating that specific BCTs may facilitate behavior change.
conclusionActivity trackers can promote PA in older adults, particularly when combined with behavioral strategies. However, their impact on objectively measured SB and long-term outcomes remains unclear. Future interventions should explicitly target SB, align BCTs with SB-related goals, and promote long-term engagement among older adults.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
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.