The role of automatic habit in physical activity behaviours in older people: A new target for lifestyle interventions for dementia risk reduction?

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundPhysical inactivity is a key risk factor for dementia, yet physical inactivity is common in older adults. Increasing physical activity levels in this population is an urgent health priority. Automatic, context‐dependent habits may play an important role in physical activity behaviour. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between physical activity behaviours and their automaticity in older people.Method123 community dwelling Australians aged over 65 years (M=72.2; 81 women), recruited from participant registries, local hospital noticeboards and community groups, completed an online questionnaire. Current physical activity levels were measured using the Incidental and Planned Exercise Questionnaire, and automaticity of those physical activity behaviours were measured using the Self‐Report Habit Automaticity Index. Participants also reported demographic information, falls and medical history, and current mood symptoms.ResultParticipants reported an average of 2.28 hours planned walking (SD=2.33), 5.81 hours planned moderate/vigorous exercise (SD=4.02), and 20.5 hours incidental activity (SD=15.52) per week. Multiple regression analyses revealed that after controlling for age, gender, BMI and depression symptoms, higher automaticity scores were associated with more hours per week of planned walking (p=.012), moderate/vigorous exercise (p=.038), and incidental activity (p=.017).ConclusionIn a sample of active older Australians, participants who engaged in higher levels of physical activity reported their activity to be more automatic than those reporting lower levels of activity, regardless of the type of physical activity engaged in. Supporting older people to make their physical activity more habitual could therefore be an effective approach to increase levels of physical activity in this population.