Objective measurements of daily physical activity patterns and sedentary behaviour in older adults: Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility-Reykjavik Study

Age Ageing. 2013 Mar;42(2):222-9. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afs160. Epub 2012 Oct 31.

Abstract

Background: objectively measured population physical activity (PA) data from older persons is lacking. The aim of this study was to describe free-living PA patterns and sedentary behaviours in Icelandic older men and women using accelerometer.

Methods: from April 2009 to June 2010, 579 AGESII-study participants aged 73-98 years wore an accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X) at the right hip for one complete week in the free-living settings.

Results: in all subjects, sedentary time was the largest component of the total wear time, 75%, followed by low-light PA, 21%. Moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA) was <1%. Men had slightly higher average total PA (counts × day(-1)) than women. The women spent more time in low-light PA but less time in sedentary PA and MVPA compared with men (P < 0.001). In persons <75 years of age, 60% of men and 34% of women had at least one bout ≥10 min of MVPA, which decreased with age, with only 25% of men and 9% of women 85 years and older reaching this.

Conclusion: sedentary time is high in this Icelandic cohort, which has high life-expectancy and is living north of 60° northern latitude.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Actigraphy
  • Activities of Daily Living*
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging* / genetics
  • Body Mass Index
  • Female
  • Gene-Environment Interaction
  • Humans
  • Iceland
  • Independent Living
  • Longevity
  • Male
  • Motor Activity*
  • Sedentary Behavior*
  • Sex Factors
  • Swimming
  • Time Factors