Physical Activity Patterns in the Elderly Kashan Population

Prevalence of insufficient physical activity among adult residents of Tehran: a cross-sectional report from Tehran Cohort Study (TeCS)

BACKGROUND

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and one of the leading causes of premature mortality worldwide. This study examined the prevalence and independent determinants of insufficient PA among adults resident of Tehran utilizing Tehran Cohort Study Data (TeCS).

METHOD

We used the recruitment phase data from the TeCS with complete data on PA. PA was assessed through a Likert-scaled question and categorized into three groups. Utilizing data from the 2016 national census, the age- and sex-weighted prevalence of insufficient PA in Tehran was determined. The adjusted logistic regression model is used to neutralize influencing factors and determine the factors associated with insufficient PA.

RESULT

The weighted prevalence of insufficient PA was 16.9% among the 8213 adult citizens of Tehran, with a greater prevalence among females (19.0% vs. 14.8% among males). Additionally, older age groups, unemployed, housewives, and illiterate educated participants displayed a much higher prevalence of insufficient PA (p < 0.001). Moreover, Tehran's central and southern districts had higher rates of insufficient PA. Concerning the adjusted regression model, older age (Odds ratio [OR]: 4.26, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 3.24-5.60, p < 0.001), a lower education level (p < 0.001), unemployment (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.28-2.55, p = 0.001), being a housewife (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.15-1.80, p = 0.002), higher body mass index (BMI) (OR for BMI > 30: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.56-2.18, p < 0.001), opium consumption (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.46-2.52, p < 0.001), diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.48, p = 0.008), hypertension (OR: 1.29, 95% CI: 1.11-1.50, p = 0.001), and coronary artery diseases (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.05-1.61, p = 0.018), were significantly associated with insufficient PA.

CONCLUSIONS

The identified associated factors serve as a valuable guide for policymakers in developing tailored intervention strategies to address the needs of high-risk populations, particularly among older adults and females.

A Clustering Study of Dietary Patterns and Physical Activity among Workers of the Uruguayan State Electrical Company

Recent studies have shown that certain nutrients, specific food groups, or general dietary patterns (DPs) can promote health and prevent noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCCDs). Both developed and developing countries experience a high prevalence of NCCDs due to poor lifestyle habits, DPs, and low physical activity levels. This study aims to examine the dietary, physical activity, sociodemographic, and lifestyle patterns of Uruguayan State Electrical Company workers (the IN-UTE study). A total of 2194 workers participated in the study, providing information about their sociodemographics, lifestyles, and dietary habits through different questionnaires. To identify DPs from 16 food groups, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. A hierarchical cluster algorithm was used to combine food groups and sociodemographic/lifestyle variables. Four DPs were extracted from the data; the first DP was related to the intake of energy-dense foods, the second DP to the characteristics of the job, the third DP to a Mediterranean-style diet, and the fourth DP to age and body mass index. In addition, cluster analysis involving a larger number of lifestyle variables produced similar results to the PCA. Lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, including night work, working outside, and moderate and intense PA, were significantly correlated with the dietary clusters, suggesting that working conditions, socioeconomic status, and PA may play an important role in determining DPs to some extent. Accordingly, these findings should be used to design lifestyle interventions to reverse the appearance of unhealthy DPs in the UTE population.

Associations between Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Urban Greece

Physical activity is an important factor in achieving healthy aging, offering older persons multiple benefits in terms of maintaining and improving their health and wellbeing. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical activity on the quality of life of older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to May 2022, using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). A total of 124 people aged 65 and over participated in the survey. The average age of the participants was 71.6 years, and 62.1% were women. Participants showed a moderate quality of life with regard to the physical health dimension (mean score 52.4) and a higher quality of life with regard to the mental health dimension (mean score 63.1) compared to the expected values of the population. Low levels of physical activity were recorded among older adults, reaching a rate of 83.9%. A moderate or high level of physical activity has been found to contribute to a better physical functioning (p = 0.03), vitality (p = 0.02) and general health (p = 0.01). Finally, comorbidity had a negative impact on physical activity (p = 0.03) and quality of life regarding mental and physical health in older adults. The study showed very low levels of physical activity in older Greek adults. The management of this problem, which was intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, should be a high priority in public health programs focusing on healthy aging, as physical activity affects and promotes many of the basic aspects of quality of life.

The factors in older adults' health literacy in the field of physical activity: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Older adults are one of the most vulnerable groups to the undesirable effects of low health literacy. Inadequate health literacy in older adults is associated with decreased physical activity, deviation from the path of health, and suffering from various diseases. Considering the role and importance of health literacy in promoting physical activity and improving health in older adults and the hypothesis that there are certain factors associated with health literacy in the field of physical activity, this study is aimed at understanding the factors related to older adults' health literacy about physical activity.

METHODS

This study is a qualitative study on older adults 60 to 75 years old in retirement centers in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2020. Totally, 25 participants were recruited through purposeful sampling with maximum variation until data saturation. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

By analyzing the manuscripts obtained from the interviews, 59 initial codes were extracted, which were reduced to 32 main codes after careful assessment. The main codes were grouped into 13 subcategories under 5 categories. Subcategories are the detected factors that are related to health literacy and categories are the five aspects of health literacy including access, reading skill, comprehension, evaluation and decision-making, and application of information. Health literacy was the main theme that encompassed the categories.

CONCLUSION

This study provided a comprehensive understanding of beliefs, opinions and factors related to older adults' health literacy about physical activity. According to these findings, physical problems and diseases are not obstacles to making decisions and applying physical activity information in older adults who have a high understanding and proper evaluation of physical activity recommendations. Support, advertising, and organizational facilities are related to all dimensions of older adults' health literacy about physical activity, while socio-economic factors are related to the dimensions of access, comprehension, decision-making, and application of information. The factors related to older adults' health literacy about physical activity that were identified in this study, can be used by organizations that are responsible for policy-making, decision-making, and implementing physical activity promotion programs to improve the health in older adults.

Regular Physical Activities and Related Factors among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Jinan, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of regular physical activity (RPA) among middle-aged and older adults in urban communities in Jinan, China, and to identify the factors related to RPA. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among middle-aged and elderly urban residents. A total of 1406 participants were included in the final data analysis. The results of the four models consistently showed that the relevant factors of RPA were educational level, previously diagnosed hypertension (PDH) and depression. In terms of educational level, compared with illiteracy, from the first model to the fourth model, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of senior middle school were 2.072 (1.418, 3.026), 2.072 (1.418, 3.026), 1.905 (1.289, 2.816) and 1.926 (1.302, 2.848), respectively, and the ORs and 95% CIs of college or above were 2.364 (1.462, 3.823), 2.364 (1.462, 3.823), 2.001 (1.208, 3.312) and 2.054 (1.239, 3.405). In terms of PDH, compared with those with PDH, from the first model to the fourth model, ORs and 95% CIs of non-PDH were 1.259 (1.003, 1.580), 1.259 (1.003, 1.580), 1.263 (1.006, 1.585) and 1.261 (1.004, 1.584), respectively. For depression, compared with those without depression, also from the first model to the fourth model, ORs and 95% CIs of depression were 0.702 (0.517, 0.951), 0.702 (0.517, 0.951), 0.722 (0.532, 0.981) and 0.719 (0.529, 0.977), respectively. In conclusion, the results of this study showed that participation in RPA among middle-aged and older adults in Jinan urban communities was significantly associated with education level, PDH and depression.

Performance, Health, and Psychological Challenges Faced by Students of Physical Education in Online Learning during COVID-19 Epidemic: A Qualitative Study in China

The spread of COVID-19 has led students to take classes online (rather than face-to-face) worldwide, including in China. For this study, we conducted qualitative focus group discussions to identify the experience of and difficulties faced by online physical education students in higher education taking online classes, including the impact on their physical activity performance, as well as some health problems they face while taking online classes during the quarantine period, such as weight gain, depression, and anxiety. Finally, utilizing Mayer's learning model as a conceptual framework, we propose a method that addresses how to effectively manage an optimal future learning system for physical education students, both during and after the COVID-19 outbreak situation. During the isolation period of COVID-19, the required equipment for the participants was rarely available at home while attending the online classes, which inevitably reduced the number of physical education units that could be conveyed. This resulted in a transfer of attention from competition to underperformance, weight gain, and adverse psychological conditions. We conclude that it is important to review and systematize the methods of online physical education learning, particularly highlighting the cultural and educational characteristics of different countries, and to investigate the effectiveness of online physical education as a whole.

Physical Activity is a Medicine for Non-Communicable Diseases: A Survey Study Regarding the Perception of Physical Activity Impact on Health Wellbeing

Background

A modifiable risk factor for many diseases is physical inactivity. In this modern era, physical activity is acknowledged as a vital strategy to promote good health. According to the WHO, regular physical activity has various benefits for psycho-physical health. Decreased physical inactivity is happening in China due to the increased participation of the Chinese population in physical activity. The human body needs a specific level of physical activity to maintain good health.

Objective

The main aim of the present study was to assess the Chinese people’s understanding of physical activity and participation in physical activity as a preventive measure against different diseases.

Methods

The present study was exploratory and conducted in the Kunshan county-level city in Jiangsu Province, China. A well-designed questionnaire was used to collect the data from the survey participants. A total of 3390 residents were selected from 1300 households through a simple random sampling technique. The collected data were analyzed through SPSS software. Both univariate and bivariate analysis were performed.

Results

The survey results showed that the majority of women are participating in physical activity. Most of the Kunshan people participate in physical activity one time or more than one time per week. They perform 30–60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity to improve physical fitness, recreation, and disease prevention. Fitness walking is the most common type of physical activity among Kunshan people, and most of them participate in physical activity at night. Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that post-test ranks are statistically higher than pre-test ranks (P<0.0039, 0.0039, 0.0039, 0.0020, 0.0001, 0.0156, 0.0313).

Conclusion

The study results showed that physical activity plays a catalyst role in improving human health on a natural path. It reduces the risk factor of non-communicable diseases and promotes general wellbeing. These findings show that physical activity level increases in Chinese society as more people participate in physical activity for health-being.

Impact of Physical Activity on Challenging Obesity in Pakistan: A Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) Study

Physical activity (PA) refers to any action produced by skeletal muscle that consumes energy. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), PA is the primary element that can improve health at the community level. Obviously, PA plays an important role in the social, physical, and mental development of men and women, as well as in balancing weight. However, the large-scale negative impacts of physical inactivity on health-related issues are also recognized globally, such as obesity, which is the source of many non-communication diseases (NCDs). In Pakistan alone, 46% of deaths occur due to NCD. The majority of NCD deaths are linked to obesity, and Pakistan is the ninth most obese country in the world. Research on obesity caused by sedentary work in Pakistan is lacking, especially among university employees. To fill this gap, the current study mainly focuses on the rising non-communicable disease (NCD) rates among university employees in Pakistan due to a lack of exercise (obesity, in this case), with the help of a self-designed knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire. Five universities in the Sindh province of Pakistan were surveyed (n = 276), following the concept of Yin-Yang as a theoretical lens. The results of the current study show that the knowledge, behaviors, and attitudes of university employees have a great influence on their body mass index (BMI). The study shows that Pakistani residents' (especially teaching staff) perceptions and attitudes towards obesity and PA have been instructive, but their practices need to be improved.

Normative Data for the Balance Error Scoring System in Iranian Adults

CONTEXT

The Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), originally designed to diagnose and assess athletes with concussion syndrome, is now widely used to evaluate postural stability. To interpret balance status, a normative database can be a reliable source. However, different anthropometric characteristics and sociocultural backgrounds across populations hinder the application of previously developed databases in different populations.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was designed to develop a normative data set for the general population of healthy Iranian adults according to their age groups and to study the correlation between BESS scores and the participants' sex, height, weight, and body mass index.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1051 community-dwelling adults aged 20-69 years not suffering from balance disorders, dizziness, or other neurological or musculoskeletal diseases were recruited and stratified into 5 different age groups by decade.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The BESS tests were composed of single-leg, double-leg, and tandem stances, each on a rigid surface and a foam pad. The individuals maintained each position for 20 seconds with eyes closed. The assessor recorded the total number of errors as the individuals' BESS score (range: 0-60).

RESULTS

Significant but weak correlations were found between BESS score and height (r = -.13, P < .001) and between BESS score and body mass index (r = .11, P < .001), and the difference between sexes in BESS score was statistically significant in the 50- to 59-year-old (P = .021) and 60- to 69-year-old (P < .001) groups. The BESS scores were significantly different between all age groups (P < .05), except between the 20- to 29-year-old and 30- to 39-year-old groups (P = 1.000) and between the 40- to 49-year-old and 50- to 59-year-old groups (P = .086).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided a normative database for different age groups of asymptomatic Iranian adults. The BESS score had weak correlations with height and body mass index and no correlation with weight, and significant differences were found between sexes in 50- to 69-year-old individuals. This study emphasizes the importance of obtaining specific normative data for different populations.

A cross-sectional study to investigate motivation for physical activity in a sample of Iranian community-dwelling older adults

Background: On the basis of the Social-Ecological Model, there are assumed to be three sources of motivation – intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community motivation – that prompt older adults to participate in physical activity (PA). These three motivational sources can lead to PA behavior adherence. Little empirical research exists that investigates which motivational source is more influential in older adults’ adherence to PA, thus creating an area of interest for this research.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to investigate the relationship between levels of PA and different sources of motivation. The convenience sample of 140 community-dwelling older adults, aged 60 and greater, living in Shiraz, Iran agreed to complete self-reported questionnaires,to measure motivation and PA. Five statistical tests were used: Independent-samples t test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, chi-square, and ordinal regression.

Results: Ordinal regression indicated that gender (P = 0.001, CI: 0.523-2.115) and intrapersonal motivation (P < 0.001, CI: 0.038-0.126) were useful predictors of variations in the levels of PA. Compared to males, females engaged in PA with less frequency (P = 0.006). Community motivation decreased with age (r = - 0.213, P < 0.05). There were no significant relationships between age, educational level, health status, and PA (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: Interpersonal and community motivation were insignificant factors for PA participation, perhaps due to non-facilitating environment. Future research should be conducted to investigate the environmental issues that hinder PA participation in older adults.

Socioeconomic gradient in physical activity: findings from the PERSIAN cohort study

Background

The level of socioeconomic-related inequality in physical activity in Iran is largely unknown. This study investigates socioeconomic-related inequality in poor-physical activity (PPA) among Iranian adults.

Methods

A total of 129,257 adult participants enrolled in the PERSIAN (Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in IrAN) Cohort were included in this study. Physical activity of adults was measured using metabolic equivalent rates (METs). Physical activity less than 41 METs/hour/day was considered PPA. The Concentration index (C) was used to quantify socioeconomic-related inequality in PPA. Moreover, the C was decomposed to identify the relative contribution of explanatory variables to inequality in PPA.

Results

There were significant regional variations in physical activity level among Iranian adults (29.8–76.5%). The positive value of C (0.098, 95% CI = 0.092 to 0.104) suggested that the higher concentration of PPA among higher socioeconomic status (SES) adults in Iran which was consistently observed in all cohort sites.

Conclusions

The higher prevalence of PPA among Iranian adults, especially, women and older adults, warrant further public health attention. Since PPA is concentrated more among the high-SES population in Iran, strategies for the promotion of physical activity should focus more on economically well-off population.

Association of informal caregiving with body mass index and frequency of sporting activities: evidence of a population-based study in Germany

BACKGROUND

While most studies focused solely on the comparison between informal caregivers and non-caregivers, little is known about the relation between caregiving time or caregiving activities and lifestyle factors. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether informal caregiving time and type of caregiving activities are associated with body mass index (BMI) and the frequency of sporting activities among informal caregivers.

METHODS

Cross-sectional data were gathered from the German Ageing Survey, a nationally representative study among community-dwelling individuals aged ≥40 that includes a total of n = 1380 people who provide informal care services. Self-reported BMI and self-reported frequency of sporting activities (daily; several times a week; once a week; 1-3 times a month; less often; never) were used as dependent variables. The average time of providing informal care per week as well as four different caregiving activities (help around the house; looking after someone; performing nursing care services; help in another way) were included as independent variables. Multiple ordinal and linear regressions were used to estimate the association between caregiving factors and the frequency of sporting activities and BMI, respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 1380 informal caregivers, 65% provided help around the house, 83% looked after people, 28% provided nursing care services, and 68% provided any other help. Bivariate analyses showed that sporting activities and BMI differed by status of providing nursing care services, whereas the other three types of informal caregiving were not associated with BMI nor frequency of sporting activities except for the latter and provision of help around the house. Multiple regressions showed that BMI increased with caregiving time and performing nursing care services, whereas it was not associated with the other three caregiving activities. Likewise, the frequency of sporting activities decreased only with caregiving time and performing nursing care services.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that caregiving time and performing nursing care services are associated with a higher BMI and a decreased frequency of sporting activities. As both, a higher BMI and fewer sporting activities are in turn related to various adverse health outcomes, this knowledge should be taken into account when planning informal caregiving.

The Isfahan Comprehensive Elderly Study: Objectives, research design, methodology, and preliminary results

BACKGROUND

This paper presents the objectives, research design, methodology, and primary findings of the Isfahan Comprehensive Elderly Study (ICES).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 603 elderly persons (aged 60 and over) were selected by multistage cluster sampling method from Isfahan, Iran, in 2016 comprehensive questionnaires along with a detailed interview were used to collect information on personal, family, socioeconomic, health and social services characteristics, life styles, physical illnesses and chronic diseases, mental, emotional and cognition disorders, quality of life, disabilities, sleep quality, social supports, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and of participants.

RESULTS

The mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of participants was 69.66 ± 6.31 years, consisting of 50.75% females. About 23% of elderly persons were at the risk of malnutrition and 4.5% were current smoker. Severe and mild depression were documented in 9.3% and 30.2% among included study subjects, respectively. About half of the participants had hypertension, and 26.8% suffered from cardiovascular disease. The mean ± SD of total score of Geriatric Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Older People's Quality of Life, Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index was 8.84 ± 6.79, 14.76 ± 5.92, 133.99 ± 10.55, 142.04 ± 120.53, and 6.17 ± 3.44, respectively. Elderly males had significantly higher life satisfaction and self-efficacy and better cognitive function than females (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The findings of current study provided a comprehensive overview of the current health status and lifestyle of older adults in Isfahan city. The ICES could help policy makers to design appropriate prevention and interventional programs and policies to cover the specific needs of the elderly population.