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Table 1 Characteristics of the 1421 primary studies of physical activity interventions for older adults (Objective 1)

From: Impact of physical activity programs and services for older adults: a rapid review

Characteristics

N (%)

Country [n (%)]*

High income

1240 (87)

 Upper-middle income

171(12)

 Lower-middle income

6 (0.4)

 Low income

0 (0)

 Mixed

1 (0.1)

 Not specified

3 (0.2)

Sample size [mean (SD), median, range]

126 (295), 55, 6–5893

Study design

 RCT [n (%)]

1124 (79)

 Non-RCT [n (%)]

297 (21)

Type of physical activity [n (%)]

 Promoting overall activity

127 (9)

 Structured exercise

1,120 (79)

 Recreation

158 (11)

 Sport

16 (1)

Comparison [n (%)]**

 No intervention

812 (57)

 Higher dose of same activity

21 (2)

 Behaviour change support to PA

8 (1)

 Different delivery mode of same activity

39 (3)

 Different physical activity

199 (14)

 Nutrition

6 (0.4)

 Education

86 (6)

 Combination of interventions

21(2)

 Other

229 (16)

PEDro score /10***

 Poor 0–3 [n (%)]

73 (7)

 Fair 4–5 [n (%)]

601 (54)

 Good 6–8 [n (%)]

438 (39)

 Median score**** [(SD), range]

5 (1.3), 1–8

  1. RCT randomised controlled trial, SD standard deviation
  2. *Income classification strata as per World Bank Country and Lending Groups 2021
  3. **Percentages total > 100 as some studies included more than one intervention group
  4. ***PEDro scores are available only for RCTs (n = 1124), PEDro score not available for n = 12 trials. The optimal score for trials evaluating physical activity interventions is 8/10
  5. ****The median and average PEDro score was the same among studies that met the inclusion criteria for Objective 1