Scientists from Florida Atlantic University have identified five key factors associated with physical activity among older adults: age, education level, social activity, pain, and depression. The results of the research were published in the journal geriatrics.
The study included 698 people of various ethnicities, ages 59 to 96. Participants who reported lower physical activity tended to be older, spent fewer years in training, and reported lower social activity. They also had higher levels of depression and anxiety. Additionally, they were more likely to suffer from chronic pain and have a higher body mass index than active people.
Researchers have found that pain is associated with less physical activity. However, it is unclear whether older people know that a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to and/or exacerbate some types of pain and that physical activity can help reduce pain, or whether this knowledge alone is enough to motivate them to be more active.
The authors emphasized that all the factors they discovered (except age) were at least partially modifiable at the individual, group, and societal levels.
Physical activity helps prevent or delay chronic weakness in the elderly, reduces the risk of falls and the development of chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Regular physical activity also improves quality of life and reduces depression. Despite these well-known health benefits, older adults rarely complete the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week.