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Potential functional benefits of a comprehensive evaluation of physical activity for aging adults: a CLSA cross-sectional analysis

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Abstract

Background

Physical activity recommendations for aging adults do not account for possible benefits of light-intensity physical activity on physical function. The purpose of this study was to assess if a sum of all physical activities (regardless of intensity) related to physical function for aging adults, independent of physical activity guidelines.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted with baseline data of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA n = 25,072) including ages from 45 to 85. Physical activity was collected via the Physical Activity Scale for Elderly questionnaire. The sum of all activities, based on the Metabolic Equivalent of a Task (MET), was called Total Index. Physical function was derived from objective measures. Logistic regression was used for statistical analysis based on the specific age and sex median values of physical function.

Results

The Total Index was associated with being in the lowest median of physical function when adjusted for the physical activity guidelines and other potential confounders (OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01–1.03, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study suggests that components of physical activity not currently included in current guidelines may be associated with better physical function outcomes for aging adults.

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Acknowledgements

This research was made possible using the data/biospecimens collected by the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). Funding for the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) is provided by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) under grant reference: LSA 9447 and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. This research has been conducted using the CLSA Baseline Comprehensive Dataset version 4.0, under Application Number 170609. The CLSA is led by Drs. Parminder Raina, Christina Wolfson and Susan Kirkland. The Authors would also like to acknowledge The University of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation in their support through resources and student funding.

Funding

This work was supported by the University of New Brunswick Endowment fund (RF-2017-07).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Health, Dalhouise University, Halifax, NS, Canada

    Andrea Mayo

  2. Faculty of Kinesiology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada

    Martin Sénéchal & Danielle R. Bouchard

  3. Cardiometabolic Exercise & Lifestyle Laboratory, Fredericton, NB, Canada

    Martin Sénéchal & Danielle R. Bouchard

  4. New Brunswick Institute for Research Data and Training (NB-IRDT), University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada

    Jonathan Boudreau

  5. Department of Family Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada

    Mathieu Bélanger

Authors
  1. Andrea Mayo
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  2. Martin Sénéchal
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  3. Jonathan Boudreau
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  4. Mathieu Bélanger
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  5. Danielle R. Bouchard
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Danielle R. Bouchard.

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Conflict of interest

The database from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging was free of charge due to the project being a student-based thesis, the opinions expressed in this manuscript are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Research Board of Ethics at the University of New Brunswick (IRB: 2017-086).

Informed consent

All participants in the CLSA database received information packages and informed consent at various steps of the study. For this type of study formal consent is not required. 

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Mayo, A., Sénéchal, M., Boudreau, J. et al. Potential functional benefits of a comprehensive evaluation of physical activity for aging adults: a CLSA cross-sectional analysis. Aging Clin Exp Res 33, 285–289 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01528-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-020-01528-w

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