Editor’s Choice: Dual-process model of older adults’ sedentary behavior: an ecological momentary assessment study

Abstract

Objective: A 10-day ecological momentary assessment (EMA) study was conducted to test a dual-process model of older adults’ sedentary behavior.

Design: Older adults (n = 104, 60–98 years) answered 6 EMA questionnaires/day to assess conscious processes (i.e. momentary intentions, self-efficacy to limit sedentary behavior over the next two hours) and wore an activPAL accelerometer to measure sedentary behavior. Habit strength for sedentary behavior, a non-conscious process, was self-reported at an introductory session.

Main outcome measure: Time spent sitting in the two hours after the EMA prompt.

Results: Older adults engaged in less sedentary behavior on occasions when their intentions (b = −1.63, p = 0.02) and self-efficacy (b = −2.01, p = 0.003) to limit sedentary behavior were stronger than one’s average level of intentions or self-efficacy, respectively; however, older adults’ average level of intentions (b = −5.30, p = 0.05) or self-efficacy (b = 2.77, p = 0.27) to limit sedentary behavior were not associated with sedentary behavior. Older adults with stronger sedentary behavior habits engaged in greater sedentary behavior in the two hours following the EMA prompt (b = 2.04, p = 0.006).

Conclusion: Sedentary behavior is regulated by conscious and non-conscious processes. Interventions targeting older adults’ sedentary behavior should promote momentary intention formation and self-efficacy beliefs to limit sitting as well as content to disrupt habitual sedentary behavior.

Keywords:

• Habits
• intentions
• self-efficacy
• intensive longitudinal data
• sitting

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.