The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of a virtually-delivered 6-month exercise and nutrition intervention in older adults with executive subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Feasibility will be determined by recruitment, retention, and adherence rates. Preliminary changes in cognition, physical function, and quality of life will be assessed as secondary outcomes. The study will recruit 140 participants aged 65 to 80 who report they feel that their memory or other thinking abilities are declining. Participants will be randomized into one of four study arms receiving different combinations of healthy lifestyle interventions. Assessments will be conducted virtually at baseline, post-intervention (6 months), and follow-up (12 months). All intervention sessions and assessment visits will be conducted online using the Zoom Healthcare platform and participants will log on using their own devices from home.
The study will be a randomized control trial examining the feasibility of a 6-month virtually delivered exercise and nutrition intervention in older adults with executive SCD. The study aims to recruit 140 participants. After initial contact with potential participants, 2 screening visits (up to 45 minutes each) will be conducted to assess eligibility and obtain consent to participate in the study. At the start of the program, after completing the program (6 months), and at follow-up (12 months), assessors will conduct 2 assessments (30-65 min each) using Zoom video conferencing to measure thinking abilities, physical function, and quality of life. Participants will be randomized into one of four 6-month intervention arms (35 individuals per group x 4 groups): 1) EX + DIET: aerobic and resistance exercise (EX) with healthy diet counseling (DIET), 2) EX + ED: aerobic and resistance exercise (EX) with education on healthy lifestyle related to brain health (ED), 3) STRETCH + DIET: stretching and toning exercises (STRETCH) with healthy diet counseling (DIET), 4) STRETCH + ED: stretching and toning exercises (STRETCH) with education on healthy lifestyle related to brain health (ED). All groups that receive EX and/or DIET will also receive the "Adult Strategies Put Into Real World Environments" (ASPIRE) goal strategy training, with goals focused on exercise and/or diet in order to overcome barriers and increase maintenance of lifestyle changes. All intervention sessions and assessment visits will be conducted online using the Zoom Healthcare platform, and participants will log on using their own devices from home.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
140
EX involves 2.5hrs of moderate intensity aerobic and resistance exercise per week. EX will be instructed by a clinical exercise physiologist (CEP) or registered kinesiologist (RKIN). The EX session will include a 5min warm-up, 20-30min of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, 20-30min of moderate intensity resistance training, and a 5min cool down. The virtual video session will be pre-recorded, have similar composition, and will be led by the same instructor as the group sessions. This group will also receive the "Adult Strategies Put Into Real World Environments" (ASPIRE) goal strategy training, with goals focused on exercise in order to overcome barriers and increase maintenance of lifestyle changes.
DIET involves one session per week of diet education delivered by a Registered Dietitian. The DIET session will be 90 minutes during months 1-4, and 30 minutes in months 5 and 6. DIET was developed by our team, emphasizing foods identified as supporting executive function, memory, and other cognitive abilities. This group will also receive the "Adult Strategies Put Into Real World Environments" (ASPIRE) goal strategy training, with goals focused on diet in order to overcome barriers and increase maintenance of lifestyle changes.
STRETCH sessions will be time/frequency-matched to EX sessions (2.5hrs/week: 1.5hr in virtual group sessions; 1hr virtual video session) to control for social aspects and placebo effects of EX.Each STRETCH session will include a 5min warm-up, 5min of balance exercises, and 50min of stretching. Difficulty will not be progressed. STRETCH sessions will also be led by a CEP/RKIN instructor and video sessions will be pre-recorded by the same instructor.
ED sessions designed to be of equal intensity and social engagement to the DIET intervention. Participants will engage in group discussion and receive information on the brain and cognitive processes, the effect of age on cognition, and tips to promote healthy aging. This will include lectures, watching documentaries and participating in various games.
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Feasibility: Recruitment
Recruitment rate per month
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility: Retention
Percent of consented participants who complete the post-intervention assessment of executive function
Time frame: 6 months
Feasibility: Adherence
Percent of study intervention sessions attended by type
Time frame: 6 months
Feasiliby: Adherence (diet)
Change in diet quality as assessed with the Eating Pattern Self-Assessment (minimum score 0, maximum score 15; higher scores indicate better diet quality)
Time frame: 6 months
Retention by gender
Does retention vary by gender (men, women, other)
Time frame: 6 months
Adherence by gender
Does adherence vary by gender (men, women, other)
Time frame: 6 months
Executive Function
the primary outcome of a future, large scale trial: an executive function composite derived from Cambridge Brain Sciences on-line assessments, where calculated effect size, variance, and co-variance will inform the sample size for the future, definitive RCT.
Time frame: 6 months
Memory
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: memory (Rey Auditory verbal Learning Test \[RAVLT\] immediate and delayed recall)
Time frame: 6 months
Diet
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: diet quality (adherence to the study diet assessed by a study-specific questionnaire \[Eating Patterns Self Assessment questionnaire: minimum score 0, maximum score 15; higher scores indicate better diet quality\])
Time frame: 6 months
Physical Activity
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: physical activity (Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly \[PASE\], higher scores indicated more physical activity)
Time frame: 6 months
Physical Function
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: physical function (assessed using a 5 times sit-to-stand test)
Time frame: 6 months
Health-related quality of life
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: Health-related Quality of Life assessed using the SF-36; minimum score 0, maximum score 100, higher scores indicate better quality of life)
Time frame: 6 months
Waist Circumference
a secondary outcome of a future, large scale trial: waist circumference
Time frame: 6 months
Maintenance of change in executive function
Differences in executive function betwen 6 and 12 months (6 months post-intervention) in an executive function composite derived from Cambridge Brain Sciences on-line assessments
Time frame: 12 months
Maintenance of diet quality
Differences in diet quality (as measured by the Eating Patterns Self-Assessment questionnaire: minimum score 0, maximum score 15; higher scores indicate better diet quality) between 6 and 12 months (6 months post-intervention)
Time frame: 12 months
Maintenance of physical activity
Differences in physical activity (as measured by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, higher scores indicate greater physical activity) between 6 and 12 months (6 months post-intervention)
Time frame: 12 months
Effect modification of executive function by sex
To examine differences in observed effect sizes of executive function (as measured by an executive function composite derived from Cambridge Brain Sciences on-line assessments) vary by sex (male/female)
Time frame: 6 months
Effect modification of executive function by gender
To examine differences in observed effect sizes of executive function (as measured by an executive function composite derived from Cambridge Brain Sciences on-line assessments) vary by gender (men, women, other)
Time frame: 6 months
Effect modification of physical activity by sex
To examine differences in observed effect for physical activity (as measured by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, higher scores indicate more physical activity) vary by sex (male/female)
Time frame: 12 months
Effect modification of physical activity by gender
To examine differences in observed effect for physical activity (as measured by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, higher scores indicate more physical activity) vary by gender (men, women, other)
Time frame: 12 months
Effective modification of diet quality by sex
To examine differences in observed effect sizes for diet quality (measured by Eating Patterns Self-Assessment questionnaire; minimum score 0, maximum score 15, higher scores indicate better diet quality) by sex (male/female)
Time frame: 12 months
Effective modification of diet quality by gender
To examine differences in observed effect sizes for diet quality (measured by Eating Patterns Self-Assessment questionnaire; minimum score 0, maximum score 15, higher scores indicate better diet quality) by gender (men, women, other)
Time frame: 12 months
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