# Project 2- RCT

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2022 · $424,671

## Abstract

Abstract 
Project 2 of the Sedentary Time and Aging Research (STAR) Program will investigate how 3 month 
changes in standing time, brief sit-to-stand transitions and physical activity (PA) breaks, will impact 
biomarkers of healthy aging, and physical, emotional and cognitive functioning compared to healthy living 
attention controls. This 4-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) will occur in the `real world' with 
postmenopausal women (N=592) who are not physically active, do not stand up frequently and spend at 
least 8 hours sitting per day, i.e. most older adults. The daily behavior targets in each condition of Project 2 
(increase standing by 2 hours, increase sit-to-stand transitions by 30 per day, & increase PA breaks by 12) 
reflect the treatment conditions explored in Project 1. To date, there have been no RCT studies with health 
outcomes in older adults. Our multiple pilot studies, however, demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability 
of delivering intervention materials (including standing desks, trackers & ActivPAL feedback) to older 
adults and evaluating behavior change objectively with thigh-worn inclinometers. The interventions 
significantly reduced sitting time (up to 2 hours a day) and significantly increased sit-to-stand transitions 
(up to 40 per day). Increases in PA were minimal in the standing conditions, compared to our PA focused 
RCT in 307 older adults which increased short PA bouts. One pre-post pilot found that reductions in sitting 
time were significantly related to improved gait speed and decreased depressive symptoms. Project 2 will 
assess the impact of the 3 interventions to interrupt sitting compared to the attention control condition at 6 
and 12 weeks. We will recruit 592 overweight, sedentary, postmenopausal women who will be randomized 
to one of the 4 conditions. We will employ tools such as standing desks, wrist-worn device alerts and 
condition-specific, tailored ActivPAL feedback. The primary outcomes are glucose regulation and blood 
pressure. Secondary outcomes include mitochondrial functioning (measured by muscle mitochondrial 
respiratory capacity), and physical, emotional and cognitive functioning. Exploratory outcomes include 
psychosocial and environmental mediators and moderators of behavior change. We will also explore the 
moderating effect of age on the intervention outcomes. Project 2 compliments the other projects by 
assessing 3 month intermediary outcomes. Project 2 will help validate the novel computational algorithms 
optimized in Project 1 and applied to Project 3. In addition, the Biostatistics Core will investigate the 
response patterns in Projects 1 and 3 and map them to Project 2. Project 2 will strengthen the public 
health evidence of how to interrupt sitting time in older adults, provide specific information on interrupting 
sitting as an alternative to longer PA bouts, and explore a range of targeted outcomes related to healthy 
aging.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10207392
- **Project number:** 5P01AG052352-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jacqueline Kerr
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $424,671
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10207392

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10207392, Project 2- RCT (5P01AG052352-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10207392. Licensed CC0.

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