Time trends in leisure time physical activity and physical fitness in the elderly: Five-year follow-up of the Spanish National Health Survey (2006–2011)

Abstract

ObjectivesTo estimate the trends in the practice of leisure time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1h, during the years 2006–2011, in elderly Spanish people. Study designObservational study, retrospective analysis of Spanish National Health Surveys. We analysed data collected from the Spanish National Health Surveys conducted in 2006 (n=30,072) and 2011 (n=21,007), through self-reported information. The number of subjects aged ≥65 years included in the current study was n=5756 in 2006 (19.14%) and n=4617 in 2011 (21.97%). We included responses from adults aged 65 years and older. Outcome measuresThe main variables included leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1h. We analysed socio-demographic characteristics, individuals’ self-rated health status, lifestyle habits, co-morbid conditions and disability using multivariable logistic regression models. ResultsThe total number of subjects was 10,373 (6076 women, 4297 men). The probability of self-reported capacity was significantly higher in 2006 than in 2011 for leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1h for both sexes (women: OR 2.20, 95%IC 1.91–5.55; OR 2.50, 95%IC 1.99–3.14; OR 1.04, 95%IC 1.01–1.07; men: OR 2.20, 95%IC 1.91–2.55; OR 2.01, 95%IC 1.40–2.89; OR 1.05, 95%IC 1.0–1.1) respectively. Both sexes were associated with a significantly lower probability of performing leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1h. Additionally, those over 80 years of age, on average, showed a poor or very poor perception of their health and presented with some type of disability. ConclusionA decrease in the proportion of respondents who self-reported undertaking leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1h was observed in the Spanish population of over 65 years between 2006 and 2011.