Many age-related diseases can be prevented or delayed by daily
physical activity. Unfortunately, many older adults do not per-
form physical activity at the recommended level. Professional
interventions do not reach large numbers of older adults for a
long period of time. We studied a peer-coach intervention, in
which older adults coach each other, that increased daily physi-
cal activity of community dwelling older adults for over 6 years.
We studied the format and e ects of this peer coach interven-
tion for possible future implementation elsewhere. Through
interviews and participatory observation we studied the format
of the intervention. We also used a questionnaire (n = 55) and
collected 6-min walk test data (n = 261) from 2014 to 2016
to determine the motivations of participants and effects of the intervention on health, well-being and physical capacity.
Vitality Club is a self-sustainable group of older adults that
gather every weekday to exercise coached by an older adult.
Members attend on average 2.5 days per week and retention
rate is 77.5% after 6 years. The members perceived improve-
ments in several health measures. In line with this, the 6-min
walk test results of members of this Vitality Club improved with 21.7 meters per year, compared with the decline of 2–7
meters per year in the general population. This Vitality Club is
successful in durably engaging its members in physical activity.
The members perceive improvements in health that are in line
with improvements in a physical function test. Because of the
self-sustainable character of the intervention, peer coaching has
the potential to be scaled up at low cost and increase physical
activity in the increasing number of older adults.
Prevention, Population and Disease management (PrePoD