Abstract
Although it has been well-documented that older adults spend a significant amount of time being sedentary and have slower gait velocity, little is known of how physical fitness mediates the association between them. The main purpose of this study was to explore whether objectively measured physical fitness mediates the association between domain-specific and total sedentary behavior and gait velocity. We recruited 120 older adults aged ≥ 60 years. Sedentary behavior was assessed by the Measure of Older Adults’ Sedentary Time questionnaire. We used a Zebris pressure platform to assess gait velocity. To assess the level of overall physical fitness, we summed the z-scores of seven tests: (1) waist circumference, (2) chair stand in 30 s, (3) arm curl in 30 s, (4) 2-min step test, (5) chair sit-and-reach test, (6) back scratch test, and (7) 8-foot up-and-go test. Overall physical fitness was obtained by summing up all physical test z-scores. Gait velocity was significantly associated with all domain-specific and total sedentary behavior (β = −0.04 to −0.35, p < 0.05). Overall physical fitness was significantly associated with all domain-specific and total sedentary behavior (β = −0.21 to −1.24, p < 0.001) and gait velocity (β = 0.23 to 0.24, p < 0.001). When physical fitness was put as the mediator, significant direct effects between sedentary behavior and gait velocity disappeared. Results indicate that physical fitness fully mediates the association between sedentary behavior and gait velocity in older adults.
Highlights
In the last 50 years, the population of people aged 60 years and older has increased by 2%, with estimation that the number will increase to 22% by 2050 [1]
Results indicated that gait velocity was significantly and inversely associated with screen-time and leisure-time sedentary behaviors
When physical fitness was entered as the mediator, the significant associations between screen-time and leisure-time sedentary behaviors and gait velocity became non-significant
Summary
In the last 50 years, the population of people aged 60 years and older has increased by 2%, with estimation that the number will increase to 22% by 2050 [1]. Older adults are facing many health-related consequences, including twice as many disabilities and four times as many physical limitations as people who are aged less than 60 years [2]. Those issues are primarily evident in individuals with poor physical performance and more time spent in sedentary behaviors. Older adults spend more than 4 h/day sedentary. While observing domain-specific sedentary behaviors, 65% of them spend more than 3 h/day in front of a screen, over 55% report watching television for more than 2 h/day [4], and over 3 h/day in leisure-time sedentary behavior [5]. Independent of physical activity, sedentary behaviors have often been associated with negative health outcomes, including overweight/obesity status, elevated blood pressure and total cholesterol, and lower levels of self-esteem, physical fitness, and academic achievement [6]
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