Slow-SPEED UK Version 3
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Slow-SPEED United Kingdom
IRAS ID
362207
Contact name
Alastair Noyce
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Slow-SPEED-UK is a randomised controlled feasibility study in adults aged 40 and over with a reduced sense of smell, known as hyposmia. Smell loss is common in later life and affects appetite, confidence, and daily activities. It is associated with low mood, social withdrawal, and reduced physical activity. Research shows that people with poorer smell function have lower physical performance, faster mobility decline, and higher frailty risk than those with normal smell. Because of this, adults with hyposmia may engage differently with a long-term digital activity programme, harder to recruit, more likely to drop out, or less able to sustain activity. No previous feasibility trial has tested this, and that gap must be filled before a larger trial can be designed.
The study will recruit 110 adults. After an eligibility check and a four-week monitoring period using a wrist-worn activity tracker, eligible participants attend a baseline visit and are randomly allocated to one of two groups: one following a higher daily step target and one a very low active control target, both delivered through a smartphone app over 18 months. The study measures feasibility outcomes including recruitment, retention, engagement, and safety. It does not diagnose any disease or test treatment effectiveness.
No individual results are returned and declining does not affect participation. Recruitment is through Queen Mary University of London.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
26/LO/0299
Date of REC Opinion
8 May 2026
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion