{
  "abstract": "Introduction Addressing physical inactivity is a promising dementia risk reduction strategy due to its direct benefits for brain health, and indirect benefits for other modifiable dementia risk factors. A potential limitation of previous interventions is that they often overlook how increasing physical activity affects other behaviours throughout the 24-hour day, such as sleep and sedentary behaviour, which are also important for brain health. Further, interventions are rarely tailored to the individual, considering their needs, preferences and constraints that may serve as barriers or facilitators to behaviour change. The current phase I randomised controlled trial, Small Steps, aims to investigate feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of a personalised 24-hour time-use intervention to improve lifestyle and cognitive health in older adults.Methods and analysis Participants aged ≥65 years from Adelaide, South Australia will be recruited and randomised to either the Extended or Condensed programme. During the first 12 weeks, participants in the Extended programme will use a tailored website to set personalised weekly goals to move towards their ‘optimal’ 24-hour day for brain health, facilitated by weekly website ‘check-ins’ and weekly phone calls with a research staff member. Participants randomised to the Condensed programme will have access to the website educational resources only but will not undergo personalised goal setting or telephone calls. Following the introductory phase (first 12 weeks), phone calls will be gradually withdrawn for the Extended programme. Primary (feasibility and acceptability) and secondary outcomes (changes in time use, cognitive function and behaviour change metrics) will be assessed 12, 24 and 36 weeks after the beginning of the intervention.Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been obtained from the University of South Australia’s Human Research Ethics Committee (205989). Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations, media releases and community engagement.Trial registration number NCT06291909).",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Maddison L Mellow"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Henry T Blake"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Ty Ferguson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Bethany Robins"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Dorothea Dumuid"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Timothy Olds"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Tyman E Stanford"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Caring Futures Institute, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia",
        "Division of Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care Service, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Kate Laver"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Justice and Society, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Hannah Keage"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Alison Coates"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "College of Education, Psychology and Social Work, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Alexandra T Wade"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Michelle Rogers"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments, UniSA Creative, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Aaron Davis"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "City of Onkaparinga, Noarlunga Centre, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Lui Di Venuto"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Emma Tregoweth"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Catherine Yandell"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "ACH Group Inc, Mile End, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Barbara Tainsh"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA) Research Centre, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Ashleigh E Smith"
    }
  ],
  "title": "‘Small Steps’ towards improving 24-hour time-use behaviours to decrease the risk of dementia: protocol for a personalised, web-based randomised controlled trial in community-dwelling older adults",
  "uid": "ea3bc05a-3221-5f64-815f-dab975996d5d"
}