Cross-sectional study identifying what socio-demographic and socio-economic factors are associated with meeting the recommended physical activity guidelines in older adults

Abstract

Objective: To identify sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors associated with older adults meeting recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines. Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study used data from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). The study population consisted of a random sample of 8189 older adults (≥65 years). Compliance with aerobic and strengthening PA guidelines was the main outcome variable. Covariates included sex, education, income, marital status, race, housing stability, urban/rural county, household region, among others. Unadjusted and adjusted log regression analyses calculated odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Only 14.4% (n=1235) met the PA guidelines. Odds of complying decreased by 40% in non-Hispanic single/multiple races (OR 0.6; 95 CI 0.4-1.0). Men had 1.4 times higher odds (OR 1.4; 95 CI 1.2-1.6) to meet guidelines than women. Compared with bachelor graduates, the odds of adhering were 1.4 (95 CI 1.2-1.7) in graduate participants, 0.3 (95% CI 0.2-0.4) in those with less than High School, 0.4 (95% CI 0.3-0.5) for High School and, 0.7 (95% CI 0.6-0.8) for those with some college education. The odds decreased by 40% for those with an income-to-poverty ratio threshold of \u3c 1 (OR 0.6; 95 CI 0.4-0.9), 1-1.99 (OR 0.6; 95 CI 0.4-0.7), and 2-3.99 (OR 0.6; 95 CI 0.5-0.8) compared with 5 or greater. Conclusion: Healthcare providers should develop targeted interventions to meet individuals’ unique circumstances to address these inequities. Future studies could compare PA compliance across countries to understand how cultural, environmental, and policy differences impact PA levels among older adults. Keywords: physical activity guidelines, socioeconomic factors, sociodemographic factors, cross-sectional stud