Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies · Apr 3, 2026

Effects of one-year remote home-based exercise with daily challenges on physical activity, sedentary behavior, quality of life and mood in low-income older women

By Teixeira do Amaral V, Fernandes B, Zanini GS et al.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of a remote home-based exercise intervention with daily challenges during the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Randomized clinical trial (RCT). SETTING: University extension program in Brazil. SUBJECTS: Low-income older women whose in-person participation in a physical activity and educational program was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic (included: n = 90; lost to follow-up: n = 35; analyzed: n = 55). INTERVENTIONS: Remote home-based exercise with daily challenges (exercise group; n = 33) or physical activity counseling (control group; n = 22) delivered over one year. MEASURES: Physical activity and sedentary behavior (IPAQ), quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF and OLD), and mood profile (BRUMS scale). ANALYSIS: Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests for parametric variables, and Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests for nonparametric variables. RESULTS: Both groups maintained walking and moderate-intensity physical activity, reduced vigorous-intensity physical activity (exercise: -25.2 min/week; control: -16.4 min/week), and increased sitting time (exercise: ∼2.88 h/week; control: ∼3.82 h/week). Improvements in sensory abilities and intimacy facets of quality of life were observed only in the exercise group, whereas autonomy declined only in the control group. Mood profile improved similarly in both groups, except for tension, which decreased only in the exercise group. CONCLUSION: Remote home-based exercise was more effective than physical activity counseling alone in improving selected quality-of-life domains, but not physical activity levels, sedentary behavior, or overall mood profile.

doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2026.03.033PubMed 42264800Interventions