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Association between physical function and various patterns of physical activity in older adults: a cross-sectional analysis

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Abstract

Background

To improve physical function, physical activity (PA) guidelines for older adults recommend completing PA in bouts of 10 min or more. Spontaneous PA (< 10 min) can also benefit older adults. However, a paucity of research exists examining if shorter bouts of PA are associated with greater physical function.

Aim

To determine the association between various patterns of PA and the likelihood of greater physical function in older adults.

Methods

Older adults from the 2003–2004 and 2005–2006 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included for analysis. PA lasting 1, 5, 10, 30, and 60 min was quantified using accelerometers. Physical function was assessed using a Likert scale reflecting the self-reported capability to complete 11 tasks. A single function score was then computed using factor analysis. Logistic regression analyses calculated the association between PA bout length and the likelihood of above average function.

Results

PA performed in 1-min (odds ratio [OR] 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.03), 5-min (OR 1.02; CI 1.01–1.03), or 10-min bouts (OR 1.02; CI 1.01–1.03) was associated with greater physical function following adjustment for confounders. When scaled to represent an accumulation of 10 min of MVPA, likelihoods increased for both 1-min ([OR] 1.25; 95% [CI] 1.11–1.39) and 5-min (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.08–1.37) bouts.

Discussion/conclusions

Our findings suggest bouts of PA lasting 10 min or shorter in duration are associated with greater physical function in older adults.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiometabolic Exercise and Lifestyle Laboratory, University of New Brunswick, 90 Mackay Drive, (Room 322), Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Travis J. Hrubeniuk, Martin Sénéchal & Danielle R. Bouchard

  2. Interdisciplinary Studies, School of Graduate Studies, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada

    Travis J. Hrubeniuk

  3. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, 90 Mackay Drive, (Room 322), Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Martin Sénéchal & Danielle R. Bouchard

  4. Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Andrea Mayo

Authors
  1. Travis J. Hrubeniuk
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  2. Martin Sénéchal
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  3. Andrea Mayo
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  4. Danielle R. Bouchard
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Contributions

Hrubeniuk T.J.: statistical analysis and interpretation of data, study concept, wrote manuscript. Sénéchal M.: analysis and interpretation of data, preparation of manuscript. Mayo A.: statistical analysis and interpretation of data, review of manuscript. Bouchard D.R.: study concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data, preparation of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Danielle R. Bouchard.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The NHANES data collection was ethically approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Hrubeniuk, T.J., Sénéchal, M., Mayo, A. et al. Association between physical function and various patterns of physical activity in older adults: a cross-sectional analysis. Aging Clin Exp Res 32, 1017–1024 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01288-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01288-2

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