Physical activity interventions implemented for older people in Sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa mirrors global patterns with an expanding elderly demographic, frequently characterised by a high incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), manifesting as multimorbidity. Physical activity (PA) is a validated intervention for managing the increasing prevalence of NCDs in this demographic.

Objective: This review aimed to elucidate the extent of PA interventions implemented in Sub-Saharan Africa for managing NCDs in older people (OP).

Eligibility Criteria: This review synthesised randomised controlled trials published in English since 2010, focusing on PA interventions for managing NCDs or associated risk factors in OP in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sources Of Evidence: The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews was implemented with searches in the following databases: PubMed, EBSCOhost (Academic Search Premier AfricaWide Information, CINAHL, Health Sources Premier Academic/Nursing), Scopus and ProQuest.

Charting Methods: Extraction and reporting adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses-Scoping Reviews framework, ensuring rigorous and systematic synthesis.

Results: A total of 3754 studies were initially identified, with 67 studies ultimately included after applying the exclusion criteria. The synthesised trials tested primarily supervised structured PA interventions (n=30), education on PA and lifestyle (n=30) and combined structured PA with lifestyle education (n=7). A structured supervised PA regimen combining aerobic exercise at 60-80% of maximum heart rate (three 45-60 min sessions per week) and resistance training starting at 50% of one-repetition maximum (3 weekly sessions of three sets with 10-12 repetitions per muscle group), progressively increasing to 60%, was the most effective in reducing risk factors associated with NCDs in this cohort.

Conclusion: This analysis confirms that a structured PA regimen paired with lifestyle education significantly mitigates NCDs in Sub-Saharan Africa's elderly population. Furthermore, it highlights the imperative for further investigation into non-pharmacological strategies, especially those targeting hypertension, diabetes and cognitive health disorders.