Physical FitnessCHALFNCT07881094
China Healthy Aging and Fitness Longitudinal Study
An observational study of Physical Fitness and Aging, run by China Institute of Sport Science at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
The China Healthy Aging and Fitness Longitudinal Study (CHALF) is a nationwide prospective observational study designed to investigate how physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness are associated with health and aging among older adults in China. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 to 79 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Physical Fitness, Aging
- How many people
- 8,960 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 30 Oct 2026to 31 Dec 2035
- Phase
- Observational
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 60 to 79 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The study population consists of community-dwelling adults aged 60-79 years from 14 selected provincial-level regions representing seven major geographical regions of China. A total of 8,960 participants will be recruited, with 640 participants from each provincial-level region. Recruitment will follow predefined quotas stratified by urban or rural residence, sex, and four age groups (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75-79 years). Study sites will be selected with consideration of geographical coverage and feasibility of long-term follow-up.
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged 60-79 years at baseline, with valid identification documents.
- Having resided in the selected study area for at least one year, with no plans to relocate or leave the area for an extended period within the next five years.
- Able to independently perform basic activities of daily living and participate in basic physical activities.
- Able to communicate clearly, understand and respond to study questionnaires, without cognitive impairment or communication difficulties.
- Having no contraindications to exercise.
- Willing to provide written informed consent and participate in longitudinal follow-up assessments.
Who cannot join
- Temporary residents or individuals planning to relocate from the study area.
- Surgery or major trauma, including fractures, within the previous six months.
- Cancer or a history of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
- Uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes mellitus.
- Severe cardiovascular diseases, including symptomatic valvular heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, unstable angina, heart failure, severe arrhythmias, or primary pulmonary hypertension.
- Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or severe osteoporosis.
- Diagnosed Alzheimer's disease or other severe cognitive impairment.
- Severe chronic infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, syphilis, or active tuberculosis.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site
China Institute of Sports Science
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 100061
Zekun Chen, Ph.D., +86 10 87182619, chenzekun@ciss.cn
About this study
Official title: Exercise, Physical Fitness, and Health Among Older Adults in China: A Nationwide Prospective Study
The China Healthy Aging and Fitness Longitudinal Study (CHALF) is a nationwide prospective observational study designed to investigate how physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness are associated with health and aging among older adults in China.
The study plans to recruit approximately 8,960 adults aged 60-79 years from 14 provinces and provincial-level regions across China. Participants will complete questionnaires about their physical activity, exercise habits, lifestyle, nutrition, and health. They will also undergo standardized physical fitness assessments and blood tests.
Read more
Participants will be followed over time to track changes in physical fitness and health. Follow-up assessments will examine how physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness are associated with physical function, chronic diseases, and other health outcomes.
The findings will help improve understanding of healthy aging and provide evidence to support physical fitness monitoring and exercise guidance for older adults in China.
Read the detailed description
The China Healthy Aging and Fitness Longitudinal Study (CHALF) is a nationwide prospective observational cohort study established to investigate longitudinal associations of physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness with health outcomes among older adults in China.
Study Design and Population: The study is conducted within China's national physical fitness surveillance framework and plans to enroll approximately 8,960 community-dwelling adults aged 60-79 years at baseline. Participants will be recruited from 14 provinces and provincial-level regions covering seven major geographical regions of China. The sampling framework considers urban and rural residence, sex, and four five-year age groups (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75-79 years).
Data Collection: Data will be collected through standardized questionnaires, physical fitness assessments, and blood sample collection. Questionnaires will assess sociodemographic characteristics, physical activity across different domains, exercise participation and habits, sedentary behavior, sleep, diet and nutrition, psychological and social health, cognitive function, chronic diseases, medication use, and functional limitations.
Physical fitness assessments will cover anthropometric measurements, body composition, cardiovascular and respiratory function, muscle strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, reaction time, and physical performance. Blood samples will be collected to assess biochemical indicators related to health and aging.
Longitudinal Follow-up: Baseline assessments are scheduled for 2026. Annual follow-up assessments will be conducted from 2027 to 2030, with further longitudinal follow-up planned through 2035. Questionnaires and physical fitness assessments will be repeated annually. Blood samples are scheduled to be collected at baseline and in 2028 and 2030, with subsequent collection depending on the study's implementation.
Research Objectives: The study aims to characterize longitudinal changes in physical activity, exercise, physical fitness, and health; investigate their associations with functional decline, chronic diseases, and other health outcomes; and identify factors associated with the maintenance of physical fitness and healthy aging.
No study-assigned exercise intervention or treatment is involved. All assessments will follow standardized procedures, with centralized data management and quality control across participating study sites.
- Conditions
- Physical Fitness, Aging
- Keywords
- Physical Activity, Exercise, Physical Fitness, Older Adults, Healthy Aging, Physical Function, Functional Decline, Longitudinal Studies
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Community-Dwelling Older Adults in China | Community-dwelling adults aged 60-79 years recruited from 14 provincial-level regions across seven geographical regions of China. Participants will be followed prospectively to assess longitudinal changes in physical activity, exercise, physical fitness, and health. Data will be collected through standardized questionnaires, physical fitness assessments, and blood sampling at designated study visits. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
All-Cause Mortality
All-cause mortality will be assessed as the proportion of participants who have died from any cause during the follow-up period.
Measured: Baseline through Year 9 (2026-2035).
Disability-Free Survival Status
Disability-free survival status will be assessed based on participants' vital status and incident ADL disability. The proportion of participants who remain alive and free of ADL disability will be evaluated at annual follow-up visits.
Measured: Baseline and annually through Year 9 (2026-2035).
Secondary outcomes (2)
Incident Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Disability
New onset of ADL disability, defined as requiring assistance or being unable to independently perform at least one basic activity of daily living, among participants without ADL disability at baseline. ADL disability will be assessed using standardized questionnaires at annual follow-up visits.
Measured: Baseline and annually through Year 4 (2026-2030).
Incident Cardiovascular Disease
Incident cardiovascular disease will be defined as a new self-reported physician diagnosis of coronary heart disease or stroke among participants without either condition at baseline. Disease occurrence will be assessed using standardized questionnaires, including the reported year of first diagnosis.
Measured: Baseline and annually through Year 4 (2026-2030).
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Oct 2026
- Study start30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Oct 2035 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2035 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Physical FitnessStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 8,960 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- China Institute of Sport Science
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Chaoqun Fan, PhD, Principal investigator, China Institute of Sport Science
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07881094
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CISS2026023
- Acronym
- CHALF
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: The plan for sharing de-identified individual participant data has not yet been determined. Any future data sharing will be subject to institutional approval, applicable data protection regulations, and the scope of participants' informed consent.