Utilitarian walking and walking as exercise among community-dwelling older adults: what factors influence it?

Waléria Paixão De Lima,Wuber Jefferson De Souza Soares,Renato Barbosa Dos Santos,Monica Rodrigues Perracini,Camila Astolphi Lima

doi:10.1590/1981-22562020023.190255

Waléria Paixão De Lima, Wuber Jefferson De Souza Soares + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-22562020023.190255

Copy DOI

Abstract

Abstract Objective : to investigate the association between utilitarian walking and walking as exercise, and socio-demographic, clinical and functional covariates related to these walking types. Methods : a cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted with 148 older adults (aged 60 and over). Walking frequency and duration was assessed using the IPEQ-W (Incidental and Planned Exercise Questionnaire - Version W). Socio-demographic, clinical conditions, level of disability and mobility were also assessed. Types of walking were compared among the variables using the Mann-Whitney test and non-parametric Spearman rho correlations were used to investigate the association between the types of walking and the variables. Results : the participants performed a mean of 1.1 (±2.1) h/week of walking as exercise and 2.2 (±2.3) h/week of utilitarian walking. Older adults who had diabetes (p=0.015) did fewer h/week of walking as exercise. Participants who were older (p=0.014), reported poor self-rated health (p<0.001), poor disability levels (p<0.001), hypertension (p=0.048), strokes (p<0.001), heart disease (p=0.026), urinary incontinence (p<0.001), dizziness (p=0.008), or sleep disorders (p=0.042) spent fewer hours performing utilitarian walking. Correlations between the covariates and types of walking varied from very weak to weak. Conclusion : chronic diseases and unfavorable health conditions decreased walking time. Utilitarian walking was the most frequent type of walking performed by the older adults. Health care professionals and public policy managers should use utilitarian walking as a way of increasing levels of physical activity and to promote healthy aging.

Highlights

Physical activity is one of the key determinants for healthy ageing and plays an important role in reducing disability, mortality and preventing chronic diseases[1]
The comparison between covariates and hours per week of walking as exercise and utilitarian walking is shown in table 1
The correlation between walking as exercise and utilitarian walking and the variables of interest is shown in tables 2 and 3

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity is one of the key determinants for healthy ageing and plays an important role in reducing disability, mortality and preventing chronic diseases[1]. A total of 150 minutes per week of moderate to-vigorous physical activity is recommended, in bouts of 10 minutes or more[2]. Meeting and maintaining at least the minimum physical activity recommendations could prevent 45% of deaths associated with physical inactivity[3]. Older people spend around two thirds of their time in sedentary activities, one third in light activities and only 2.1% of their days in activities considered moderate to vigorous[7]. It has been observed that the older the age, the greater is the tendency to sedentary behavior and/or to performing light physical activities[7]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion