Behavioral Interventions to Increase Physical Activity Among Dementia Caregivers: A Narrative Review of Behavior Theory, Behavior Change Techniques, and Mechanisms of Behavior Change

Vollständiger Abstract

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Background: Due to the rise in Alzheimer disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (AD/ADRD) in an aging population, millions of caregivers will be at risk for physical and mental health decline. As those they care for already have physical and cognitive impairment, it is crucial that caregivers maintain health-promoting behaviors. Because regular physical activity (PA) prevents functional loss and improves physical health and well-being, understanding how to help caregivers adopt and sustain PA despite unique time, caregiving, and self-efficacy barriers is a pressing public-health priority. Existing health-promoting interventions among dementia caregivers, including PA, have demonstrated limited success. To overcome the fragmentation and slow synthesis of behavioral science evidence, the Human Behavior-Change Project advocates theoretical grounding, systematic mapping of intervention components (e.g., behavior change techniques [BCTs]) using standardized taxonomies, and explicit specification of mechanisms of behavior change (MoBCs). Objective: To examine the limited success of health-promotion interventions among dementia caregivers we aimed to conduct a narrative review to synthesize evidence from interventions that evaluated PA in dementia caregivers across three domains: (1) use of behavioral theory to inform intervention design, (2) specification of BCTs, and (3) identification and measurement of MoBCs. Methods: Two scientific databases were searched to identify representative studies and reviews, using key terms including “physical activity”, “intervention”, “dementia”, and “caregiver” from inception to July 2025. Results: Seven primary intervention trials and six reviews were selected for inclusion. Gaps across the domains were identified to inform priority areas for future research. Conclusions: There is a need to develop tailored, theory-driven PA interventions that target empirically supported BCTs and MoBCs to improve dementia caregivers’ health and well-being.