Physical Activity In Older Adults Research Articles

Association of street greenery and physical activity in older adults: A novel study using pedestrian-centered photographs

Urban parks and tree-lined streets are major components of urban greenspaces, as well as the most frequently used public spaces for senior citizens. Studies have shown significant associations between urban greenspaces and various health outcomes of older adults. However, most of them focused on urban parks or overall vegetation coverage, and few have considered the impact of street greenery. The lack of research attention on the latter is partly because of no method objectively measuring greenery exposure on streets, especially from a pedestrian-centered perspective. In the current study, we recruited 1161 adults aged 60 or above who lived in 12 housing estates in Wuhan, China, and collected their socio-demographic data and 7-day physical activity data. Streetscape photos were taken by trained researchers on sidewalks of all streets in the 800-m buffers from these housing estates. The pedestrian-centered street greenery exposure was extracted from these photos with the machine learning technique of convolutional neural networks along with the pyramid pooling module. Multilevel logistic regression models were conducted to examine the association of the frequency (≥4 days vs. < 4 days) and total duration (≥300 mins vs. <300 mins) of physical activity with street greenery. Park area, population density, street connectivity, and land use mix within the buffer zone, as well as individual factors, were included as covariates in the models. Results showed that street greenery was positively associated with the odds of achieving 300 mins or more of physical activity per week, but the park area was not. Furthermore, street connectivity and land use mix were positively associated with both the frequency and total time of physical activity. Unexpectedly, population density was negatively associated with the frequency and total time of physical activity. Therefore, adding street greenery or improving existing street greenery can be a vital environment-intervention strategy to create an aging-friendly urban environment.

Satisfaction with neighbourhood environment moderates the associations between objective neighbourhood environment and leisure-time physical activity in older adults in Beijing, China.

Asia is ageing fast. To develop more effective health promotion initiatives among older adults, more knowledge of the environmental correlates of physical activity is needed. However, research in this age group is rare, and most existing studies have been conducted within Western contexts. The present study explores the interaction effects of objective neighbourhood environment and satisfaction with neighbourhood environment on leisure-time physical activity in older adults in Beijing, China. This study follows a cross-sectional design and involves older adults aged 65years and over. The questionnaire was collected in 2018 and 2,061 older adults living in Yanshan, Beijing, China were included in the analysis. Linear regression was applied to examine the effects. The findings show that residents who live in places with higher levels of walkability, or those who are more satisfied with neighbourhood environment (either path/road/street condition or recreational resources) spent significantly longer participating in leisure-time physical activity. However, the objective neighbourhood accessibility of recreational resources was not a significant factor of physical activity. Satisfaction with neighbourhood recreational resources can significantly moderate the relationship between objective neighbourhood accessibility of recreational resources and leisure-time physical activity respectively. This is the first study conducted in China examining the relationships between objective neighbourhood environment, satisfaction with neighbourhood environment and leisure-time physical activity among older adults. This study may have implications for urban planning and service provision planning. The design of built environments that considers quality rather than only quantity can play a significant role in improving older adults' leisure-time physical activity.

Association of physical performance impairments and limitations with insufficient physical activity among older adults in Brazil: results from the national health survey

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the association between functional limitations variables and physical activity in older adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study, including 10,446 older adults aged 60 years or more who participated in the National Health Survey, 2013. The outcome variable was physical activity in the past 90 days and the explanatory variables were functional limitations, such as impairments in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, severe fall, use of walking aids, and chronic problems in the spine. Logistic regression was performed to obtain odds ratios (OR) and respective confidence intervals (95%), using the program Stata 13.1. Results: The prevalence of insufficient physical activity was 85.9% (95%CI: 85.2–86.6) and the highest odds were among older adults with two or more impairments in basic activities (OR: 2.98, 95%CI: 2.11–4.22), severe fall (OR: 1.52, 95%CI: 1.01–2.32), and use of walking device (OR: 4.65, 95%CI: 2.45–8.80). Conclusions: The prevalence of insufficient physical activity was high and multifactorial, allowing the identification of profiles of greater vulnerability, which should be considered regarding the direction of public policies for rehabilitation interventions directed at the functional performance of older adults.

Six-year Effects Of Power Training On Physical Activity In Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

PURPOSE: We examined the effect of power training on long-term changes in physical activity (PA) in older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) during a 5-year follow-up of the GREAT2DO randomized control trial. METHODS: 103 participants with T2D and metabolic syndrome (51% male, 67.9 ±5.5 yrs) were randomized to receive power or sham exercise training, 3 times/week for 12 months and followed for another 5 years. During follow-up, the power group was supported to continue, and controls were crossed over to training, but neither group exercised under direct supervision. Total PA was assessed using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly and the Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were used as indices of IR and glucose homeostasis, respectively. RESULTS: Total PA decreased significantly during the follow-up period (p=0.0001), driven by reductions between 12 and 24 months when full supervision of exercise was withdrawn, followed by relative stability over the next 4 years. Engagement in resistance training (PRT) declined from 76% at 12 months in the original power training group to 43% of those assessed at the 6-year follow-up. Notably, 43% of the original sham group also reported engaging in PRT at 6 years. HbA1c, adjusted for total PA level over the 5 years, and diabetes medication usage were significantly lower at 72 vs. 12 months (p= 0.04), without any effect of original group assignment. However, there was no significant change over the follow-up period for HOMA2-IR, adjusted for PA and medication usage (p= 0.23). CONCLUSION: 5 years after withdrawal of fully supervised power training or sham exercise in initially inactive older adults with T2D, 43% of both groups were engaged in minimally-supervised resistance training in community sites. Although both groups reduced participation in structured exercise after withdrawal of direct supervision at 12 months, stability in Total PA level from 24-72 months along with persistence of PRT in 43% of older adults with diabetes and many progressive co-morbidities is notable and unexpected. We are unaware of any other study of unsupervised PRT in an older clinical cohort in which adherence rates of 43% have been achieved 6 years after initial randomization, accompanied by significant improvements in glucose control.

Validity Of Combined Heart Rate And Accelerometry To Predict Activity Energy Expenditure In Older Adults

PURPOSE: The present study compared physical activity related energy expenditure (PAEE) as predicted by group calibrated algorithm combining accelerometry and heart rate. METHODS: N=45 older adults with and without cardiac risk performed a protocol consisting of simulated daily living activities (resting period, light, moderate and vigorous physical activity including walking in different speeds and stair climbing) and a cycle ergometer test (25W + 25W every 2 minutes). PAEE was concurrently assessed by indirect calorimetry (IC) and by combined heart rate (HR) plus uniaxial accelerometry (ACC). Raw HR and ACC data were transformed to PAEE using a published branched equation model. Estimated and measured PAEE were compared using Bland-Altman plots. SUMMARY OF RESULTS: Preliminary results of n=12 healthy older adults without cardiac risk (8 male and 4 female, 71.9 ± 5.2 years) showed lower ACC+HR-estimated PAEE for clustered activities (including cycle ergometer test) and resting period (clustered activities 2.17 ± 1.17 Kcal/min; resting period 0.19 ± 0.17 Kcal/min) than PAEE measured by IC (clustered activities 2.93 ± 1.27 Kcal/min; resting period 0.61 ± 0.40 Kcal/min). The Bland & Altman plots' limits of agreement were between -2.28 and +0.94 kcal/min. Visual inspection showed that the dispersion of the absolute differences between ACC+HR and IC seemed to increase with higher measured values. The correlation between combined ACC+HR-PAEE and IC-PAEE was rρ = 0.86. CONCLUSION: First results indicate that branched equation models based on combined ACC+HR registrations may underestimate PAEE in older people but appear sufficiently valid for the assessment of mean PAEE in groups. If the relatively large limits of agreement were to persist throughout this ongoing study, they would indicate a limited validity of existing ACC+HR branched equations for the individual assessment of PAEE in older adults. More research is needed to determine whether combined ACC+HR assessments are superior to simple ACC to measure physical activity in older adults.

P86 Evaluation of the Bodywise Program for Older Adults Residents of the District of Columbia

<h3>Objective</h3> To evaluate the implementation of the Bodywise program, a free program designed to promote health, wellness, and fitness for elder DC residents. <h3>Use of Theory or Research</h3> Physical activity and its association with healthy aging is an important public health issue. Physical activity decreases different causes of mortality and plays an important role in the prevention of many aging-related chronic diseases. However, the number of older adults who are physically active enough to maintain wellness is low and decreases with age. The University of the District of Columbia (UDC) worked to improve physical activity in older adults by offering free exercise classes. <h3>Target Audience</h3> Participants were DC residents aged 60 or older. <h3>Program Description</h3> The Bodywise program includes water aerobics, yoga, low-impact aerobics, and chair exercise classes, conducted by certified instructors. These classes not only aim to improve the health and wellness of participants but also provide great opportunities to socialize. <h3>Evaluation Methods</h3> A designed evaluation survey was filled out by participants which collected demographic data, the quality/satisfaction of classes, and each participant's opinion. <h3>Results</h3> There were 33 participants including 29 female, 4 male, 29 non-Hispanic, and 29 with an academic degree. Overall satisfaction with the Bodywise program was 93% and 81% of participants reported overall satisfaction with their instructor, specifically related to knowledge, skill level, and appropriateness of music. About 70% of participants preferred classes 2 times per week with Wednesday and Friday classes being the most popular. Encouragement to stay physically active and opportunity for socialization were mentioned as the main reasons participants engaged in the Bodywise program. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The Bodywise program gained the overall satisfaction of participants. Further research is necessary to investigate the impact of this program on behavioral changes of the participants.

Location Choice in the Context of Older Adults' Leisure-Time Walking.

Leisure-time walking is the most prevalent and preferred form of physical activity of older adults. In order to promote leisure-time walking and enhance the efficiency of using outdoor open spaces, the supply of different types of walking locations should match the needs, interests and preferences of older adults. However, there is limited knowledge on which location types are chosen by which groups of individuals under which conditions. This study therefore examines the effects of socio-demographics, episode participation attributes and neighborhood characteristics on the location choice of older adults for leisure-time walking. A multinomial logit model is estimated based on data collected among 316 respondents aged 60 or older in Dalian, China. The results indicate that older people’s location choices for walking are associated with their socio-demographics, episode participation attributes and neighborhood characteristics. Finally, implications of the results for the planning, design and management of open spaces are identified.

Changing Physical Activity In Older Adults With Heart Failure By Increasing Exercise Or Reducing Sitting

Physical activity (PA) is an essential behavior to manage health of older adults with heart failure, however, most adults with chronic illness do not adhere to structured exercise programs. Promoting the reduction of sedentary behavior may be an alternative strategy to indirectly increase PA in individuals with heart failure. PURPOSE: To compare two behavior interventions (reducing sitting time [RST] vs. adding structured exercise [EX]) aimed to increase PA in individuals with heart failure. METHODS: Older adults (N=56, age ≥ 65 years) with heart failure (NYHA class II or III) and at risk for physical disability were randomized to a 3-month behavior intervention. RST: reduce sedentary behavior by replacing sitting time with standing/stepping time whenever possible and interrupting prolonged sitting bouts. EX: gradually increase structured exercise time to 30 minutes per day. Physical function (timed up and go test [TUG]) was assessed at baseline and at 3 months post interventions. Participants wore the activPAL for 7 days at baseline and during the final week of RST and EX to measure PA/sedentary behavior. Time spent sitting, standing and stepping (expressed as mean daily minutes and percent of waking wear time), and daily step counts we quantified using activPAL data. Differences between groups were determined using linear mixed models with repeated measures. Data are presented as mean ± SD. RESULTS: At baseline participants spent the majority of waking time sitting (626.4 ± 112.2 min, 67.3 ± 10.9%). On average, participants spent 25.8 ± 9.3% time (237 ± 84.6 min) standing and very little stepping (63.6 ± 27.2 min, 7.3 ± 3%, 2237 ± 1140 steps). The majority of sitting time was accumulated through prolonged bouts lasting >30 minutes in duration (381 ± 131.4 min). At 3 months, there was no significant change in time spent sitting (RST: 69.3 ± 10.5%, EX: 65.7 ± 8.5%), standing (RST: 23.8 ± 8.8%, EX: 26.9 ±6.3%), or stepping (RST: 6.9 ± 3.0%, EX: 7.4 ± 3.5%) in RST and EX. Similarly, TUG was not significantly different at 3 months in either intervention (baseline: 13.2 ± 2.8, month 3: 13.5 ± 4.0). CONCLUSION: Neither RST or EX changed behavior or physical function after 3 months in HF patients. More work is needed to understand the barriers preventing behavior change in participants to improve the adoption of PA interventions in HF patients.

Calibrating Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior For Wrist-worn Accelerometry In Women 60 Years And Older

PURPOSE: While emerging approaches for defining physical activity and sedentary behavior using accelerometry exist, cutpoint-based definitions remain a frequent convention. We explored whether a calibration study could contribute to wrist-worn accelerometer count cutpoints among women >=60 years. METHODS: Women (n=199) 60-91 years wore an ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer on their left wrist while performing eight structured activities. Intensity was continuously measured using an Oxycon portable indirect calorimeter. Accelerometer data were analyzed in 15-second epochs with both normal and low frequency extension (LFE) filters. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate cutpoints for sedentary behavior, light (low and high), and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) using vertical axis and vector magnitude (VM) counts. Cutpoints were selected that balanced the number of false positives and false negatives using three different classifications: one based on specific activities and two based on measured metabolic equivalents (e.g., 1 MET=3.0 or 3.5 ml/kg/min). Area under the ROC curves (AUC) were interpreted as excellent (0.90-1.00), good (0.80-0.89), fair (0.70-0.79), poor (0.60-0.69), or failure (<=0.59). RESULTS: Average VM counts/15-sec varied by activities: 76 watch DVD, 675 assemble puzzle, 836 mopping, 1875 wash/dry dishes, 2180 laundry, 570 walk 1.5 mph, 637 walk 2.0 mph, 1132 walk 2.5 mph, and 1094 400 meter walk. Of the three cutpoint classifications, activity types performed best based on sensitivity and specificity. Using the normal filter, the AUC was good for sedentary cutpoints (vertical axis 0.88; VM 0.88), but was fair to poor for light high intensity (vertical axis 0.74; VM 0.64) and failed for MVPA (vertical axis 0.50; VM 0.50). Findings were similar when using the LFE filter, with only sedentary results indicating good to excellent results (vertical axis 0.90; VM 0.89). CONCLUSION: This approach provided useful sedentary but not physical activity indicators for wrist-worn accelerometry counts. Further research is needed to understand whether wrist-worn accelerometry can accurately measure higher intensity physical activity in older adults.

Exploring Research Trend on Physical Activity of Older Adults Using Semantic Network Analysis

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was: (1) To investigate the network evolution processes to understand research trends in physical activity of older adults and (2) To examine the contribution of keyword and keyword aggregation groups to the knowledge structure of physical activity of older adults. METHOD This study is conducted to search journal articles on NDSL site to identify research trends related to physical activity of older adults. To achieve this goal, we performed semantic network analysis on 1,170 papers of 162 international journals related the studies on physical activity of older adults, which were published between 1990 and 2019. The Net-Miner was employed to conduct the semantic network analysis. RESULT The results are as follows: First, there appeared little change in the research trend related the studies on physical activity of older adults. Although slight cyclical changes were found, there was no significant paradigm shift. Second, in the past 29 year, only a few key words in the study of physical activity of older adults have contributed to the formation of intellectual structure. These key words represent the research trend in the field of physical activity of older adults. CONCLUSION There has been no significant change in the physical activity research area of older adults over the last 29 years. A challenge to new research on physical activity of older adults is needed. In addition, a few core keywords are very important for research in the field of physical activity of older adults.

Ballet as Physical Activity for Older Adults

Ballet as Physical Activity for Older Adults

The Mental Health Benefits of Physical Activity in Older Adults Survive the COVID-19 Pandemic

To determine the relationship between the amount and intensity of physical activity performed by older adults in North America (United States and Canada) and their depression and anxiety symptoms while currently under social distancing guidelines (SDG) for the COVID-19 pandemic. Descriptive cross-sectional study. Online survey conducted between April 9 and April 30, 2020, during the COVD-19 pandemic. About 1,046 older adults over the age of 50 who live in North America. Participants were asked about their basic demographic information, current health status, and the impact of the current SDG on their subjective state of mental health. Participants completed the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, to determine the amount and intensity of physical activity performed, as well as both the Geriatric Depression Scale and Geriatric Anxiety Scale, to ascertain the extent of their depression and anxiety-like symptoms. Ninety-seven percent of participants indicated that they adhered to current SDG "Most of the time" or "Strictly." Participants who performed greater levels of physical activity experienced lower levels of depression-like symptoms when age, sex, and education were accounted for; however, no relationship between physical activity and anxiety-like symptoms was found. A hierarchical regression analysis that incorporated the intensity of physical activity performed (light, moderate, and vigorous) in the model indicated that greater light and strenuous activity, but not moderate, predicted lower depression-like symptoms. These results suggest that performing even light physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic may help alleviate some of the negative mental health impacts that older adults may be experiencing while isolated and adhering to SDG during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Device-measured sedentary behavior and physical activity in older adults differ by demographic and health-related factors

BackgroundOur aim was to describe and explore older adults’ device-measured sedentary behavior and physical activity (PA) pattern by sex, age, education, marital status, body mass index, and physical function; and to assess agreement regarding fulfillment of PA recommendations, i.e. 150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA), between device-measured and self-reported PA.MethodWe included 656 older adults (64% women), aged 66, 81–87 or ≥ 90 years from a Swedish population-based cohort study. The activPAL3 accelerometer provided information on sedentary behavior (sedentary time, sedentary bouts, sit-to-stand transitions) and PA. Stepping ≥100 steps/min was considered MVPA; standing and stepping < 100 steps/min were considered light-intensity PA (LPA). Self-reported PA was compared with min/week in MVPA and steps/day.ResultsOn average, 60% of wear time was spent sedentary, 36% in LPA, and 4% in MVPA. Relative to men, women, had significantly (p < 0.05) more sit-to-stand transitions, spent 33 min/day less sedentary and 27 min/day more in LPA, and were more likely to report meeting PA recommendations, but showed no difference in steps/day, MVPA, or sedentary bout duration. Older age was associated with more sedentary time, lower MVPA and fewer steps/day. The prevalence of meeting PA recommendations was 59% device-measured and 88% by self-report with limited agreement between methods (Cohen’s Kappa = 0.21, Spearman’s rho = 0.28). Age differences were much more pronounced with objective measures than by self-report.ConclusionsWe found significant sex differences in sedentary behavior and time in LPA in older adults, but not in MVPA, in contrast to previous findings. Sedentary time increased with age, with small differences in accumulation pattern. MVPA time was lower with older age, obesity, and poor physical function. A majority of the participants > 80 years did not meet the PA recommendations. Given the strong relationships between sedentary behavior, PA and health in older adults, programs are needed to address these behaviors. Agreement between device-measured and self-reported fulfillment of PA recommendations was limited. Device-based measurement adds value to PA studies, providing richer and different data than self-report.

Perception of Energy and Objective Measures of Physical Activity in Older Adults

Perception of Energy and Objective Measures of Physical Activity in Older Adults

Individual Scaling of Accelerometry to Preferred Walking Speed in the Assessment of Physical Activity in Older Adults.

Walking forms a large portion of physical activity (PA) of older adults. We assessed free-living PA using acceleration corresponding to preferred walking speed as a relative cut-point and studied how it relates to age. We compared the relative cut-point to a common absolute cut-point of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Four hundred forty-four community-dwelling adults aged 75, 80, and 85 years wore an accelerometer on the thigh during a PA surveillance period and a modified 6-minute walking test (6MWT) at preferred speed. Each individual's mean acceleration (g) during the 6MWT was used as a cut-point for relative PA. Acceleration corresponding to three metabolic equivalents (METs) was used as the cut-point for absolute MVPA. When using the acceleration of preferred walking speed as a cut-point, 62 (SD 82) minutes a week of relative PA was detected, compared to 228 (163) minutes of absolute MVPA. For 96% of the participants, the acceleration generated by their preferred walking speed exceeded the common absolute cut-point for MVPA. Absolute MVPA was lower in the older age groups, and 6MWT speed explained 22% of its variation (p < .001), whereas relative PA was independent of walking speed and age. Preferred walking speed was a significant contributor to absolute MVPA and those who walked the slowest accumulated the least MVPA. Assessing relative PA using the intensity of preferred walking speed as a cut-point eliminated the dependency of PA on age and walking speed, and may be a feasible scaling option to evaluate relative PA among older people.

E-Health interventions for healthy aging: a systematic review

BackgroundHealthy aging (HA) is a contemporary challenge for population health worldwide. Electronic health (e-Health) interventions have the potential to support empowerment and education of adults aged 50 and over.ObjectivesTo summarize evidence on the effectiveness of e-Health interventions on HA and explore how specific e-Health interventions and their characteristics effectively impact HA.MethodsA systematic review was conducted based on the Cochrane Collaboration methods including any experimental study design published in French, Dutch, Spanish, and English from 2000 to 2018.ResultsFourteen studies comparing various e-Health interventions to multiple components controls were included. The target population, type of interventions, and outcomes measured were very heterogeneous across studies; thus, a meta-analysis was not possible. However, effect estimates indicate that e-Health interventions could improve physical activity. Positive effects were also found for other healthy behaviors (e.g., healthy eating), psychological outcomes (e.g., memory), and clinical parameters (e.g., blood pressure). Given the low certainty of the evidence related to most outcomes, these results should be interpreted cautiously.ConclusionsThis systematic review found limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of e-Health interventions, although the majority of studies show positive effects of these interventions for improving physical activity in older adults. Thus, better quality evidence is needed regarding the effects of e-Health on the physiological, psychological, and social dimensions of HA.Systematic review registrationThe review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42016033163)

Objectively Measured Physical Activity and Polypharmacy Among Brazilian Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Previous observations regarding association between physical activity (PA) and use of medicines among older adults are derived from self-reported PA. This study aimed to evaluate the association between objectively measured PA and polypharmacy among older adults with multimorbidity in Southern Brazil. This study included 875 noninstitutionalized older people, aged ≥60years. Prescribed medicines used in the 15 days prior to the interview, socioeconomic data, and the presence of comorbidities were self-reported. Accelerometers were used to evaluate PA following the interview. Prevalence of polypharmacy (≥5 medicines) was 38.3% (95% confidence interval, 35.0-41.5); those belonging to the lowest tertile of PA used more medicines. The authors observed a significant inverse association for polypharmacy between men belonging to the second and third tertiles of PA for objectively measured overall PA and light PA compared with the most inactive tertile. For women, the association between PA and polypharmacy was significant for overall, light, and moderate to vigorous PA only in the third tertile. Overall, light and moderate to vigorous PA were inversely associated to polypharmacy and differed by gender. Promotion of PA in older adults may be an effective intervention to reduce the number of medicines used independent of the number of comorbidities.

Impact of dopamine-related genetic variants on physical activity in old age \u2013 a cohort study

ObjectivesThe beneficial effects of a physically active lifestyle in aging are well documented. Understanding the factors of importance for physical activity in older adults are therefore essential. Informed by animal and human data linking the dopamine system to motivation and reward processes, we investigated the associations between variations in dopamine genes and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Further, we aimed to verify whether higher age may exacerbate the impact of dopamine genes on physical activity.MethodsWe analyzed data from 504 older adults, 66–87 years, from the population-based Swedish National study on Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K). Physical activity was measured with activPAL accelerometers and DNA was extracted from blood samples for genotyping. We assessed the effects of three dopamine relevant genetic variations (DRD1, DRD2, and DRD3) on daily time in sedentary behavior, light-intensity physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity using analyses of covariance, adjusting for sex, age and physical function.ResultsHigher dopamine receptor efficacy was related to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, but not to light-intensity physical activity or sedentary time. DRD1 explained 2.7% of variance in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, with more pronounced effect in people aged ≥80 years, about 10% of explained variance.ConclusionStronger genetic effects in older adults are in line with the well-established nonlinear effects of dopamine signaling on performance, expected to be exacerbated with aging. Individuals over 80 years, genetically predisposed to lower dopamine receptor efficacy, engaged on average 100 min/week in moderate-to-high physical activity, below the recommended levels beneficial for healthy aging. Our findings highlight that some individuals might need extra support to maintain a physically active lifestyle.

Active Gaming: It Is Not Just for Young People.

Whether active gaming is an appropriate method to facilitate moderate-intensity physical activity in older adults remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the intensity of physical activity and enjoyment while playing three active video games in older adults compared with younger adults. Ten younger and 10 older adults played three active games on separate days. Participants played two 15-min periods per game: one period at a self-selected intensity and one period with structured instructions to maximize the movement. Physical activity intensity and enjoyment were measured during gameplay. The results indicated that older adults played games at significantly higher intensities (5.3 + 1.8 vs. 3.6 + 1.8 metabolic equivalents), spent less time in whole-body sedentary activity, and rated games more enjoyable compared with younger adults. With physical activity intensity being consistent with moderate-to-vigorous intensity for older adults during gameplay, the results suggest that active video games could be used as a cardiovascular tool for older adults.

Predictors of physical activity in older adults early in an emergency hospital admission: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundReduced mobility may be responsible for functional decline and acute sarcopenia in older hospitalised patients. The drivers of reduced in-hospital mobility are poorly understood, especially during the early phase of acute hospitalisation. We investigated predictors of in-hospital activity during a 24-h period in the first 48 h of hospital admission in older adults.MethodsThis was a secondary analysis of a prospective repeated measures cohort study. Participants aged 75 years or older were recruited within the first 24 h of admission. At recruitment, patients underwent a baseline assessment including measurements of pre-morbid functional mobility, cognition, frailty, falls efficacy, co-morbidity, acute illness severity, knee extension strength and grip strength, and consented to wear accelerometers to measure physical activity during the first 7 days (or until discharge if earlier). In-hospital physical activity was defined as the amount of upright time (standing or walking). To examine the predictors of physical activity, we limited the analysis to the first 24 h of recording to maximise the sample size as due to discharge from hospital there was daily attrition. We used a best subset analysis including all baseline measures. The optimal model was defined by having the lowest Bayesian information criterion in the best-subset analyses. The model specified a maximum of 5 covariates and used an exhaustive search.ResultsSeventy participants were recruited but eight were excluded from the final analysis due to lack of accelerometer data within the first 24 h after recruitment. Patients spent a median of 0.50 h (IQR: 0.21; 1.43) standing or walking. The optimal model selected the following covariates: functional mobility as measured by the de Morton Mobility Index and two measures of illness severity, the National Early Warning Score, and serum C-reactive protein.ConclusionsPhysical activity, particularly in the acute phase of hospitalisation, is very low in older adults. The association between illness severity and physical activity may be explained by symptoms of acute illness being barriers to activity. Interdisciplinary approaches are required to identify early mobilisation opportunities.