Alive Project: Does group exercise improve social life and health in 75+ women living alone?
Official title: The ALIVE-Project: Activity, Life Satisfaction, Inclusion, Vitality, Elderly Women
Run by Norwegian School of Sport Sciences · NCT07789080 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether supervised group exercise at fitness clubs helps 75-year-old and older women who live alone feel less lonely and healthier compared to exercising alone or doing usual activities.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 75 Years to 100 Years |
| Sex | Women only |
| Enrollment | 213 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Norwegian School of Sport Sciences Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Oslo, Oslo) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 2027 |
| Study ends | July 2027 |
| Registry record updated | August 27, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07789080 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are women aged 75+ who live alone in Oslo and are active less than 60 minutes per week of structured exercise.
✕Probably not a fit
Participants who remain unable to engage in structured exercise or have cognitive or medical conditions contraindicating exercise may not experience benefits.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The ALIVE study is a 16-week randomized controlled trial in Oslo, enrolling 213 women aged 75 and older who live alone and are not very physically active. Participants are assigned to one of three groups: supervised group exercise with social interaction, independent exercise at a fitness club, or continue their usual daily activities. The study will measure loneliness, social connectedness, quality of life, mental health, and physical activity and fitness to understand the added value of a social, supervised setting. The trial is led by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, with collaboration from SATS and Oslo University Hospital.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could show that group-based exercise improves loneliness, social connections, and overall well-being in older women living alone.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in older adults suggest social and health benefits from group activities, but this specific design assessing a supervised group vs. independent exercise vs. usual activities is novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Women aged ≥75 years * Currently living alone for at least four months (including widowed or single women) * Residing at home in Oslo with convenient access to participating SATS fitness clubs in the Nordre Aker or Vestre Aker districts * Participating in \<60 minutes per week of planned, structured exercise at moderate-to-vigorous intensity, whether individually or in an organized setting (excluding recreational walking and other habitual physical activity) Exclusion Criteria: * Dementia or other cognitive impairment * Diseases that are contraindicated for exercise or testing (such as unstable angina, recent heart attack, uncontrolled arrhythmia, or recent coronary bypass surgery)
Where it's running
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Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Oslo, Oslo, Norway Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Emilie Dalhaug
- Email: emiliefm@nih.no
- Phone: + 47 91708426
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.