Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Gender, Sex & Health Research Integration and Innovation

Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle; however, meeting physical activity guidelines is a frequent challenge for many people, and especially older adults. More recent evidence recognizes that even people who are physically active enough to meet recommended guidelines can spend most of their day sitting- and this can lead to an increased risk for disease and death. Uptake and adherence to an active lifestyle is important for health, yet the challenge exists to create a supportive environment for adults to remain active and engaged in their daily life. Physical activity has many benefits including optimizing physical function, encouraging socialization and improving overall quality of life. Therefore this randomized controlled trial will test a new approach to help middle-aged women add more physical activity into their daily lives. The Everyday Activity Supports You (EASY) Program encourages physical activity in the community by providing self-management tools and strategies. Participants in the EASY Study intervention group will receive a self-management program to reduce sitting time and increase physical activity through: group education sessions; individualized prescription with an exercise professional; and an activity monitor. The program is 18 months in duration including a 4 week ramp-up phase, a 5 month activation phase and a 12 month maintenance phase to determine if participants maintain their physical activity patterns. Given the many benefits of physical activity, and the soaring costs associated with an inactive lifestyle, the high number of aging Canadians would benefit from this novel approach of encouraging active living, with improved benefits for the wider community.