Multi-organ Responses to CHronic Physical Activity and INactivity

This study is looking for two main groups of people, all aged between 50 and 65 years old. Everyone taking part should be slightly overweight (with a BMI between 25 and 35) and have a larger waist size (94cm or more for men, 80cm or more for women).

One group will be people who are already moderately active but not extremely sporty. They usually sit for less than 6 hours a day and walk more than 8,000 steps. The other group will be people who are quite inactive, sitting for 8 hours or more per day and usually walking 5,000 steps or less. Both groups need to be willing to change their activity levels for 6 months as part of the study.

There are also some reasons why you might not be able to join. For example, if you have certain existing health conditions like chronic heart or lung diseases, or if you take medications that might affect the study results. People with neurological problems, severe high blood pressure, or those who can't have an MRI scan won't be able to participate. Also, women who are going through menopause or haven't settled on hormone replacement therapy, and people whose jobs would make it impossible to reduce their steps, won't be suitable.

If you take part, the study will last for 6 months, and you'll be asked to make some changes to your usual physical activity. If you're in the moderately active group, you'll reduce your activity for three months to sit for about 7 hours a day and walk less than 4,500 steps. After that, you'll gradually increase your fitness again through supervised training three times a week for another three months. If you're in the inactive group, you'll increase your activity to recommended levels, attending supervised exercise sessions three times a week for six months.

Throughout the study, you'll do some home measurements, like tracking your activity and what you eat. You'll also need to visit the University of Nottingham for multiple assessments at the start and at regular points (weeks 6, 12, 18, and 24). These visits will involve fitness and strength tests, filling out questionnaires, playing computer-based brain games, and having small samples taken from your muscle and fat, as well as blood tests. You will also have MRI scans. In total, the assessments at the University will be spread over 4 days at certain intervals.