Effectiveness of community-based physical activity programs on physical function and health outcomes among older adults: a systematic literature

  • Jeki Haryanto
    Universitas Negeri Padang
    Indonesia
  • Dally Rahman 
    Universitas Andalas
    Indonesia

Abstract

Population aging has intensified the global burden of functional decline, falls, and chronic disease, positioning community-based physical activity programs as a scalable strategy for independence in later life. This review examined the effectiveness of community-based physical activity programs on physical function and health outcomes among community-dwelling older adults, and the characteristics linked to better outcomes. The review followed the PRISMA 2020 framework, with a structured search of the Scopus database yielding 180 records. After removal of duplicate records and sequential title, abstract, and full-text screening against predefined eligibility criteria that prioritized experimental and comparative designs, English-language original articles published between 2017 and 2026, and community-dwelling older-adult populations, 12 studies were included in the final synthesis. Methodological quality was appraised with design-specific tools. Across the included studies, supervised multicomponent and resistance-based programs produced the most consistent gains in muscle strength, gait speed, and functional performance, whereas walking-only and low-intensity formats yielded smaller or condition-dependent effects, with adherence a decisive moderator. The review advances an evidence-informed account of how program design shapes functional benefit and offers practical guidance for sustainable community exercise services. Future trials should adopt harmonized outcome measures and longer follow-up to strengthen the evidence base.

Keywords
  • Community-based physical activity
  • Older adults
  • Exercise program
  • Physical function
  • Health outcomes
Lisensing Information
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

References
  1. André, H.-I., Moniz-Pereira, V., Ramalho, F., Santos-Rocha, R., Veloso, A., & Carnide, F. (2020). Responsiveness of the Calf-Raise Senior test in community-dwelling older adults undergoing an exercise intervention program. PLoS ONE, 15(4), Article e0231556. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231556
  2. Arnett, M., Toevs, S. E., Bond, L., & Hannah, E. (2019). Outcomes of participation in a community-based physical activity program. Frontiers in Public Health, 7, Article 225. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00225
  3. Aromataris, E., & Munn, Z. (Eds.). (2020). JBI manual for evidence synthesis. JBI. https://doi.org/10.46658/JBIMES-20-01
  4. Balis, L. E., Sowatey, G., Ansong-Gyimah, K., Ofori, E., & Harden, S. M. (2019). Older Ghanaian adults' perceptions of physical activity: An exploratory, mixed methods study. BMC Geriatrics, 19(1), Article 85. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1095-1
  5. Bennett, E. V., Hurd Clarke, L., Wolf, S. A., Dunlop, W. L., Harden, S. M., Liu, Y., Estabrooks, P. A., Rhodes, R. E., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2018). Older adults' experiences of group-based physical activity: A qualitative study from the 'GOAL' randomized controlled trial. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 39, 184-192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2018.08.017
  6. Bercovitch, D., Rindlisbacher, A. R., Ng, H., Mulvihill, S., Sum, B., Patel, S., Aitken, L., Marques, M., Aravind, G., & Salbach, N. M. (2025). Losing ground following community exercise programme closures: A qualitative descriptive study of the impact of COVID-19 related pandemic restrictions on exercise participation, physical activity, and health of older adults with balance and mobility limitations. Physiotherapy Canada, 77(3), 303-310. https://doi.org/10.3138/ptc-2023-0049
  7. Bird, E. L., Biddle, M. S. Y., & Powell, J. E. (2019). General practice referral of 'at risk' populations to community leisure services: Applying the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the impact of a community-based physical activity programme for inactive adults with long-term conditions. BMC Public Health, 19(1), Article 1308. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7701-5
  8. Bird, M.-L., Mortenson, W. B., & Eng, J. J. (2020). Evaluation and facilitation of intervention fidelity in community exercise programs through an adaptation of the TIDieR framework. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), Article 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-020-4919-y
  9. Bockarie, T., Shanker, A., Jalloh, M. B., Kamara, A. M., Odland, M. L., Wurie, H., Ansumana, R., Lamin, J., Witham, M., Oyebode, O., & Davies, J. (2025). Cross-sectional study of the association between diet and physical inactivity with obesity, diabetes and hypertension among older adults in Sierra Leone. BMJ Open, 15(7), Article e095825. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-095825
  10. Brickwood, K.-J., Ahuja, K. D. K., Watson, G., O'Brien, J. A., & Williams, A. D. (2021). Effects of activity tracker use with health professional support or telephone counseling on maintenance of physical activity and health outcomes in older adults: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 9(1), Article e18686. https://doi.org/10.2196/18686
  11. Bulow, A. M., Touchette, A. J., Oates, A. R., & Sibley, K. M. (2026). Exploring balance challenge in fall prevention community exercise programs for older adults across Canada: A cross-sectional electronic survey of instructor perceptions. Journal of Aging Research and Lifestyle, 15, Article 100046. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarlif.2025.100046
  12. Chater, A. M., Schulz, J., Jones, A., Burke, A., Carr, S., Kukucska, D., Troop, N., Trivedi, D., & Howlett, N. (2022). Outcome evaluation of Active Herts: A community-based physical activity programme for inactive adults at risk of cardiovascular disease and/or low mental wellbeing. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, Article 903109. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.903109
  13. Daly, R. M., Gianoudis, J., Kersh, M. E., Bailey, C. A., Ebeling, P. R., Krug, R., Nowson, C. A., Hill, K., & Sanders, K. M. (2020). Effects of a 12-month supervised, community-based, multimodal exercise program followed by a 6-month research-to-practice transition on bone mineral density, trabecular microarchitecture, and physical function in older adults: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 35(3), 419-429. https://doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.3865
  14. de Souza-Lima, J., Valdivia-Moral, P., Ferrari, G., Araujo, T. L., & Mahecha-Matsudo, S. (2026). Influence of body mass index on functional capacity in physically active community-dwelling adult women. Journal of Aging Research, 2026, Article 1948349. https://doi.org/10.1155/jare/1948349
  15. Fishleder, S., Petrescu-Prahova, M., Harris, J. R., Steinman, L., Kohn, M., Bennett, K., & Helfrich, C. D. (2018). Bridging the gap after physical therapy: Clinical-community linkages with older adult physical activity programs. Innovation in Aging, 2(1), Article igy006. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igy006
  16. Gonzalez, S. A., Adlakha, D., Cabas, S., Sanchez-Franco, S. C., Rubio, M. A., Ossa, N., Martinez, P. A., Espinosa, N., & Sarmiento, O. L. (2024). Adaptation of the Recreovia during COVID-19 lockdowns: Making physical activity accessible to older adults in Bogota, Colombia. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 32(1), 91-106. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2022-0236
  17. Harden, S. M., Balis, L. E., Strayer, T., III, & Wilson, M. L. (2021). Assess, plan, do, evaluate, and report: Iterative cycle to remove academic control of a community-based physical activity program. Preventing Chronic Disease, 18, Article 200513. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd18.200513
  18. Hong, Q. N., Fabregues, S., Bartlett, G., Boardman, F., Cargo, M., Dagenais, P., Gagnon, M.-P., Griffiths, F., Nicolau, B., O'Cathain, A., Rousseau, M.-C., Vedel, I., & Pluye, P. (2018). The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 for information professionals and researchers. Education for Information, 34(4), 285-291. https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-180221
  19. Hongu, N., Shimada, M., Miyake, R., Nakajima, Y., Nakajima, I., & Yoshitake, Y. (2019). Promoting stair climbing as an exercise routine among healthy older adults attending a community-based physical activity program. Sports, 7(1), Article 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports7010023
  20. Kang, D., Eun, S.-D., & Park, J. (2026). A community-based exercise intervention to reduce functional risk factors for injury among stroke survivors in South Korea: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 16(1), Article 21146. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-50927-y
  21. Kelly, L., Harrison, M., Richardson, N., Carroll, P., Robertson, S., Keohane, A., & Donohoe, A. (2019). Reaching beyond the 'worried well': Pre-adoption characteristics of participants in 'Men on the Move', a community-based physical activity programme. Journal of Public Health, 41(2), e192-e202. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdy134
  22. Landis, J. R., & Koch, G. G. (1977). The measurement of observer agreement for categorical data. Biometrics, 33(1), 159-174. https://doi.org/10.2307/2529310
  23. Lee, S. Y., Goh, A., Tan, K., Choo, P. L., Ong, P. H., Wong, W. P., & Wee, S.-L. (2021). Effectiveness of a community-delivered pneumatic machine resistance training programme (Gym Tonic) for older adults at neighbourhood senior centres: A randomized controlled trial. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 18(1), Article 21. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-021-00273-x
  24. Lowndes, A. M., & Connelly, D. M. (2023). User experiences of older adults navigating an online database of community-based physical activity programs. Digital Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076231167004
  25. Marconcin, P., Sao Martinho, E., Serpa, J., Honorio, S., Loureiro, V., Nascimento, M. D. M., Flores, F., & Santos, V. (2025). Grip strength, fall efficacy, and balance confidence as associated factors with fall risk in middle-aged and older adults living in the community. Applied Sciences, 15(13), Article 7617. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15137617
  26. Maula, A., Lafond, N., Orton, E., Iliffe, S., Audsley, S., Vedhara, K., & Kendrick, D. (2019). Use it or lose it: A qualitative study of the maintenance of physical activity in older adults. BMC Geriatrics, 19(1), Article 349. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1366-x
  27. Mellow, M. L., Hull, M. J., Smith, A. E., Wycherley, T. P., Girard, D., & Crozier, A. J. (2022). Mixed-methods evaluation of Daily Moves, a community-based physical activity program for older adults. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1), Article 853. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03567-6
  28. Middleton, G., Hambrook, R., Bishop, D. C., Crust, L., & Broom, D. R. (2023). Examining the new-member effect to an established community-based physical activity program for older adults in England. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(12), Article 6161. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126161
  29. Moher, D., Liberati, A., Tetzlaff, J., & Altman, D. G. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Medicine, 6(7), Article e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097
  30. Moran, R., Wing, D., Davey, H., Barkai, H., & Nichols, J. (2025). Development and implementation of Strong Foundations, a digitally delivered fall prevention program: Usability and feasibility pilot exercise cohort study. JMIR Formative Research, 9, Article e67406. https://doi.org/10.2196/67406
  31. O'Regan, A., Bengoechea, E. G., Clifford, A. M., Casey, M., Gallagher, S., Glynn, L., Doyle, C., & Woods, C. (2020). How to improve recruitment, sustainability and scalability in physical activity programmes for adults aged 50 years and older: A qualitative study of key stakeholder perspectives. PLoS ONE, 15(10), Article e0240974. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0240974
  32. Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E. A., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hrobjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., ... Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ, 372, Article n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
  33. Qadrijati, I., Kristiyanto, A., Eka Prasetyawati, A., & Nasrullah, A. (2026). Effectiveness of community-based physical activity models in improving quality of life among elderly: A systematic review. Atencion Primaria, 58(9), Article 103558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2026.103558
  34. Ramalho, F., Santos-Rocha, R., Branco, M., Moniz-Pereira, V., André, H.-I., Veloso, A. P., & Carnide, F. (2018). Effect of 6-month community-based exercise interventions on gait and functional fitness of an older population: A quasi-experimental study. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 13, 595-606. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S157224
  35. Regan, E. W., Handlery, R., Liuzzo, D. M., Stewart, J. C., Burke, A. R., Hainline, G. M., Horn, C., Keown, J. T., McManus, A. E., Lawless, B. S., Purcell, M., & Fritz, S. (2019). The Neurological Exercise Training (NExT) program: A pilot study of a community exercise program for survivors of stroke. Disability and Health Journal, 12(3), 528-532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2019.03.003
  36. Rosa, M., Antunes, R., Marques, P., Coelho, R., Mendes, P., & Frontini, R. (2023). A narrative exploratory study on the perspectives about physical exercise practise in a sample of Portuguese elderly. Quality and Quantity, 57(2), 991-1009. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-022-01380-2
  37. Rubio, M. A., Guevara-Aladino, P., Urbano, M., Cabas, S., Mejia-Arbelaez, C., Rodriguez Espinosa, P., Rosas, L. G., King, A. C., Chazdon, S., & Sarmiento, O. L. (2022). Innovative participatory evaluation methodologies to assess and sustain multilevel impacts of two community-based physical activity programs for women in Colombia. BMC Public Health, 22(1), Article 771. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13180-2
  38. Salbach, N. M., Mayo, N. E., Webber, S. C., Jones, C. A., Lix, L. M., Ripat, J., Grant, T., van Ineveld, C., Chilibeck, P. D., Romanescu, R. G., Scott, S., & Barclay, R. (2024). Short-term effects of a park-based group mobility program on increasing outdoor walking in older adults with difficulty walking outdoors: The Getting Older Adults Outdoors (GO-OUT) randomized controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 24(1), Article 740. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-024-05331-4
  39. Sarmiento, O. L., Rios, A. P., Paez, D. C., Quijano, K., & Fermino, R. C. (2017). The Recreovia of Bogota, a community-based physical activity program to promote physical activity among women: Baseline results of the natural experiment Al Ritmo de las Comunidades. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(6), Article 633. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14060633
  40. Shivgulam, M. E., Wilson, T., Choi, M., MacDonald, E. E., Theou, O., & O'Brien, M. W. (2025). Higher frailty levels are associated with increased improvement in health-related quality of life following a 12-week medical student-led walking program. Sage Open Aging, 11. https://doi.org/10.1177/30495334251395363
  41. Sibley, K. M., Touchette, A. J., Singer, J. C., Dubberley, K. M. A., & Oates, A. R. (2019). To what extent do older adult community exercise programs in Winnipeg, Canada address balance and include effective fall prevention exercise? A descriptive self-report study. BMC Geriatrics, 19(1), Article 201. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-019-1224-x
  42. Sterne, J. A. C., Hernan, M. A., Reeves, B. C., Savovic, J., Berkman, N. D., Viswanathan, M., Henry, D., Altman, D. G., Ansari, M. T., Boutron, I., Carpenter, J. R., Chan, A.-W., Churchill, R., Deeks, J. J., Hrobjartsson, A., Kirkham, J., Juni, P., Loke, Y. K., Pigott, T. D., ... Higgins, J. P. T. (2016). ROBINS-I: A tool for assessing risk of bias in non-randomised studies of interventions. BMJ, 355, Article i4919. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i4919
  43. Sterne, J. A. C., Savovic, J., Page, M. J., Elbers, R. G., Blencowe, N. S., Boutron, I., Cates, C. J., Cheng, H.-Y., Corbett, M. S., Eldridge, S. M., Hernan, M. A., Hopewell, S., Hrobjartsson, A., Junqueira, D. R., Juni, P., Kirkham, J. J., Lasserson, T., Li, T., McAleenan, A., ... Higgins, J. P. T. (2019). RoB 2: A revised tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials. BMJ, 366, Article l4898. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l4898
  44. Tavares, M. S., de Menezes, S. L. S., Monteiro, W., Rodrigues, C. T., Joppert, D., Goncalves, T. R., D'Avila, J. C. P., de Moura, P. H., da Silva Junior, J. F., & Moreno, A. M. (2026). Physical activity and healthy aging: Functional, cognitive, and sleep predictors associated with fall risk in older adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 23(7), Article 878. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23070878
  45. Thomas, J., & Harden, A. (2008). Methods for the thematic synthesis of qualitative research in systematic reviews. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 8, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-8-45
  46. Tomas, M. T., Galan-Mercant, A., Carnero, E. A., & Fernandes, B. (2017). Functional capacity and levels of physical activity in aging: A 3-year follow-up. Frontiers in Medicine, 4, Article 244. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2017.00244
  47. Tomioka, K., Shima, M., & Saeki, K. (2026). Exercising alone in men and group exercise in women are cross-sectionally associated with positive mental health among older Japanese. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 31. https://doi.org/10.1265/ehpm.25-00118
  48. Tou, N. X., Goh, S. F., Harding, S., Tsao, M. A., Ng, T. P., & Wee, S.-L. (2024). Effectiveness of community-based Baduanjin exercise intervention for older adults with varying frailty status: A randomized controlled trial. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 21(1), Article 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-024-00363-6
  49. Touchette, A. J., Oates, A. R., Menec, V. H., & Sibley, K. M. (2021). Design characteristics and inclusion of evidence-based exercise recommendation in fall prevention community exercise programs for older adults in Canada: A national descriptive self-report study. BMC Geriatrics, 21(1), Article 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-020-01949-2
  50. Tranfield, D., Denyer, D., & Smart, P. (2003). Towards a methodology for developing evidence-informed management knowledge by means of systematic review. British Journal of Management, 14(3), 207-222. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8551.00375
  51. Wagner-Gutierrez, N., Gonzalez, S. A., Rubio, M. A., Sanchez-Franco, S., Palencia-Perez, L., Blanco, M., Adlakha, D., Aguirre-Patino, J. S., Ossa, N., Vietto, G., Suarez, D., & Sarmiento, O. L. (2025). Quality of life, mental health and social relationships among older adults participating in the Recreovia physical activity community program. International Journal for Equity in Health, 24(1), Article 145. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-025-02476-5
  52. Waugh, M., Youdan, G., Casale, C., Balaban, R., Cross, E. S., & Merom, D. (2024). The use of dance to improve the health and wellbeing of older adults: A global scoping review of research trials. PLoS ONE, 19(10), Article e0311889. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0311889
  53. Zhou, Y., & Shi, J. (2026). Multidimensional balance assessment and machine learning gait stability prediction in elderly women. Scientific Reports, 16(1), Article 21445. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-52352-7

Downloads

PDF

Statistic

Abstract Views
: 11 times
PDF
: 5 times