Changes in physical activity during the retirement transition: a series of novel n-of-1 natural experiments

Suzanne McDonald; Rute Vieira; Alan Godfrey; Nicola O'Brien; Martin White; Falko F. Sniehotta

doi:10.1186/s12966-017-0623-7

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Changes in physical activity during the retirement transition: a series of novel n-of-1 natural experiments

Journal article

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Changes in physical activity during the retirement transition: a series of novel n-of-1 natural experiments

Suzanne McDonald, Rute Vieira, Alan Godfrey, Nicola O'Brien, Martin White and Falko F. Sniehotta

The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, Vol.14(1), pp.1-12

08/12/2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-017-0623-7

PMCID: PMC5723062

PMID: 29221449

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Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Nutrition & Dietetics

Physiology

Science & Technology

N-of-1 methods

Physical activity

Older adults

Background Existing evidence about the impact of retirement on physical activity (PA) has primarily focused on the average change in PA level after retirement in group-based studies. It is unclear whether findings regarding the direction of PA change after retirement from group-based studies apply to individuals. This study aimed to explore changes in PA, PA determinants and their inter-relationships during the retirement transition at the individual level. Methods A series of n-of-1 natural experiments were conducted with seven individuals who were aged 55–76 years and approaching retirement. PA was measured by tri-axial accelerometry. Twice-daily self-report and ecological momentary assessments of evidence- and theory-based determinants of PA (e.g. sleep length/quality, happiness, tiredness, stress, time pressure, pain, intention, perceived behavioural control, priority, goal conflict and goal facilitation) were collected via a questionnaire for a period of between 3 and 7 months, which included time before and after the participant’s retirement date. A personalised PA determinant was also identified by each participant and measured daily for the duration of the study. Dynamic regression models for discrete time binary data were used to analyse data for each individual participant. Results Two participants showed a statistically significant increase in the probability of engaging in PA bouts after retirement and two participants showed a significant time trend for a decrease and increase in PA bouts over time during the pre- to post-retirement period, respectively. There was no statistically significant change in PA after retirement for the remaining participants. Most of the daily questionnaire variables were significantly associated with PA for one or more participants but there were no consistent pattern of PA predictors across participants. For some participants, the relationship between questionnaire variables and PA changed from pre- to post-retirement. Conclusions The findings from this study demonstrate the impact of retirement on individual PA trajectories. Using n-of-1 methods can provide information about unique patterns and determinants of individual behaviour over time, which has been obscured in previous research. N-of-1 methods can be used as a tool to inform personalised PA interventions for individuals within the retirement transition.

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Title: Changes in physical activity during the retirement transition: a series of novel n-of-1 natural experiments
Creators: Suzanne McDonald - Newcastle University
Rute Vieira - Newcastle University
Alan Godfrey - Northumbria University
Nicola O'Brien - Newcastle University
Martin White - MRC Epidemiology Unit
Falko F. Sniehotta - Newcastle University
Publication Details: The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, Vol.14(1), pp.1-12
Publisher: Springer Nature
Number of pages: 12
Grant note: Economic and Social Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) National Institute for Health Research/The Department of Health; National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) ES/G007462/1 / ESRC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) Wales Office of Research and Development for Health and Social Care, Welsh Assembly Government MR/K02325X/1 / Medical Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Medical Research Council UK (MRC); European Commission Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates Health and Social Care Research & Development of the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland) MR/K023187/1 / MRC; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Medical Research Council UK (MRC) G0900686 / Lifelong Health and Wellbeing initiative (LLHW) ES/G007462/1 / Economic and Social Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC) LLHW initiative Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Medical Research Council; UK Research & Innovation (UKRI); Medical Research Council UK (MRC); European Commission
Identifiers: 991013054979102368
Copyright: © The Author(s). 2017 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
Academic Unit: Human Sciences; Faculty of Health
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

Changes in physical activity during the retirement transition: a series of novel n-of-1 natural experiments

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