Actively Recruiting
Concurrent Multi-organ Responses to Chronic Physical Activity and Inactivity Intervention to Increase Research Discovery in Human Health and Wellbeing
Led by University of Nottingham · Updated on 2025-12-04
40
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
45 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
Sponsors
U
University of Nottingham
Lead Sponsor
B
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Collaborating Sponsor
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Researchers are investigating how physical activity and inactivity affect the body's functions in middle-aged adults to better understand the biological mechanisms behind age-related health decline. This study focuses on how lifestyle behaviors impact health and wellbeing in later life, especially exploring how inactivity may cause long-term poor health. The research seeks to provide insight for future treatments and public health advice to help adults maintain better health as they age. The study involves two groups of participants aged 50 to 65 years. One group of moderately active individuals will reduce their activity for three months to match typical sedentary behavior in the UK, then undergo three months of supervised exercise training to regain fitness. The other group, who are currently sedentary, will increase their physical activity to recommended levels through six months of supervised exercise sessions. Both groups will attend sessions three times per week. Participants will complete various assessments before and during the study, including physical tests for fitness, strength, and muscle function, questionnaires about sleep and quality of life, and computer-based brain puzzles. They will also provide muscle and fat tissue biopsies, blood samples, and undergo MRI scans to study brain, heart, liver, and muscle health. Activity and diet will be recorded at home. The main outcome measured is change in cardiorespiratory fitness after 12 weeks, with additional measures tracked over 24 weeks. The study will run for five years, starting recruitment in March 2024 and ending in May 2027.
CONDITIONS
Brief Title
Multi-organ Responses to CHronic Physical Activity and INactivity
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Group 1 ('non-sedentary') self-reporting less than 6 sedentary hours per day and more than 8,000 steps daily, not involved in regular exercise training
- Group 2 ('sedentary') self-reporting 8 or more waking hours per day in sedentary activities and/or 5,000 or fewer steps daily
- Aged between 50 and 65 years
- Overweight with BMI between 25 and 35 kg/m2
- Waist circumference 94 cm or more for males, 80 cm or more for females
- Willing to change physical activity levels as instructed for 6 months
- No neurological or psychiatric diseases, or motor or cognitive restrictions
- Able to give informed consent
You will not qualify if you...
- Regular medication use that could affect study measures
- History or evidence of chronic cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, kidney, or respiratory diseases
- Experiencing long-COVID, inflammatory bowel disease, or cancer
- Uncontrolled hypertension; stage 1 hypertension with no other cardiovascular signs is allowed if managed by routine medication
- Employment that prevents reducing step count or night-shift work
- Females who are pre/peri-menopausal, except those stable on hormone replacement therapy
- Contraindications for MRI
- Allergy or sensitivity to local anesthesia or dressing adhesives
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Your Study Journey
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person)
Duration - 3 to 6 months depending on group assignment
Participants will either decrease their physical activity for 3 months by increasing sitting time to 7 hours a day and reducing steps to less than 4500 per day, or increase their physical activity for 6 months by attending supervised exercise sessions three times a week.
Three supervised exercise sessions per week at the Medical School for up to 6 months; multiple assessment visits over 4 days at baseline and weeks 6, 12, 18, and 24
Duration - 3 months
Participants who decreased their physical activity will undertake 3 months of supervised reconditioning training with three exercise sessions per week.
Three supervised exercise sessions per week at the Medical School
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
David Greenfield Human Physiology Unit
Nottingham, Notts, United Kingdom, NG72UH
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
P
Paul L Greenhaff (PI), PhD
M
Melanie Tooley (participant recruitment), BSc
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
SINGLE
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Number of Arms
2
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