“Women in Action”: a multicomponent gender-sensitive intervention combining psychosocial factors, resistance training and nutrition in older women. A quasi-experimental feasibility study protocol

Abstract Background After menopause, women lose muscle strength and physical function at an accelerated rate, and gender-related barriers such as internalised stereotypes, caregiving roles and ageism further limit their participation in resistance training. Interventions combining resistance training, nutrition education and psychosocial components addressing these barriers are scarce. Aims The principal aim is to evaluate the feasibility, implementation fidelity and acceptability of the “Women in Action” programme in community settings. The secondary aim is to estimate its preliminary effects on the two primary outcomes, handgrip strength and lower-limb strength and physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery), and on body composition, dietary behaviour and psychosocial variables in women aged 55–75 years. Methods Quasi-experimental, two-arm, mixed-methods study in the Principality of Asturias, Spain. Insufficiently active women (n = 214) will be allocated by covariate-adaptive minimisation to a 16-week programme (two supervised multicomponent exercise sessions per week and eight fortnightly psychoeducational and nutrition workshops) or to a passive control group. Assessments will take place at baseline, week 8, week 16 and 3 months after the intervention. Quantitative data will be analysed with linear mixed-effects models and integrated with thematic analysis of focus groups. Discussion The study will show whether the programme can be delivered as planned and accepted by participants, and will provide effect-size estimates to inform a subsequent trial. Conclusions This protocol describes a replicable, gender-sensitive multicomponent intervention for older women and the procedures for its evaluation under real-world community conditions. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT07860424, first posted on 6 October 2026.