Physical activity and physical function in older adults: the 45 and up study

OBJECTIVES: To determine the strength of the relationship between physical activity and physical function in older adults. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: The 45 and Up Study baseline questionnaire, New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-one thousand three hundred seventy-five Australian men and women aged 65 and older from the 45 and Up Study. MEASUREMENTS: Physical activity engagement (Active Australia Survey), physical function (Medical Outcomes Study Physical Functioning), psychological distress (Kessler- 10), and self-reported age, smoking history, education, height, and weight were all measured. RESULTS: Higher levels of physical activity were associated with better physical function in older adults (correlation coefficient = 0.166, P < .001). Participants engaging in higher levels of physical activity had progressively lower likelihoods of functional limitation (middle tertile: odds ratio (OR) = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.38– 0.41; highest tertile: OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.27–0.29). This relationship remained significant, but weakened slightly, when adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, psychological distress, and educational attainment (middle tertile: adjusted OR (AOR) = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.46–0.50; highest tertile: AOR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.34–0.37). CONCLUSION: There is a significant, positive relationship between physical activity and physical function in older adults, with older adults who are more physically active being less likely to experience functional limitation than their more-sedentary counterparts. Level of engagement in physical activity is an important predictor of physical function in older adults

An examination of the physical activity and physical function relationship in older adults : the 45 and Up Study

Reduced participation in physical activity has been associated with functional decline in older adults. The growing population of older adults is placing unprecedented pressure on health and welfare systems due, in part, to increasing inability of these older adults to perform functional tasks essential for independent living. Further, the increasing rates of non-communicable chronic disease add to functional limitations in this population group. Understanding how physical activity can impact on physical function in older adults is therefore important. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical activity levels and physical function in older adults

Physical activity and physical function in older adults : the 45 and Up study

Conference abstract: Reduced participation in physical activity has been associated with functional decline in older adults. With the rapidly growing older population, increasing rates of chronic disease and associated functional limitation are evident. Understanding how physical activity can impact on physical function in older adults is therefore important