Different Types of Physical Activity and Fitness and Health in Adults: An 18-Year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Objective. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between different types of daily life physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) and health throughout adulthood. Methods. A total of 723 men and women, aged 28–76 years, participated 1681 times during four measurement points from 1992 to 2010 in this study. We assessed self-reported PA, anthropometrics, physical health status (HS), and PF in each study year. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to analyze the measures. Results. PF and HS worsened with increasing age while sports activity (SA) declined. The modeling showed that sex, age, and SES play important roles concerning PA, PF, and HS. Athletes show higher HS and HF than nonathletes. Habitual activity (HA) also showed a positive relationship with PF and HS, but effects were lower than for SA. Work related activity (WRA) showed no meaningful relationship with PF or HS. Conclusions. Comparable amounts of PA can lead to different effects on PF or HS. Our findings underline the importance of contexts, content, and purposes of PA when health or fitness benefits are addressed. Simply moving your body is not enough.

Description of physical fitness, blood glucose, and cholesterol levels of the middle age operational workers in transportation company

“…[9][10][11] Several studies have shown that physically active adults are healthier and have a higher PF than inactive adults throughout different nations and populations groups. [11][12][13] PA is therefore promoted as part of a healthy lifestyle. [14] The current understanding of the relationship between PA, PF, and health can be visualized using the model from Bouchard et al, and the model illustrates that PA can influence fitness and health and that the relationships are also reciprocal.…”

“…[6][7][8] The regular physical activity (PA) can improve PF and health as prevention disease problem. [9][10][11] Several studies have shown that physically active adults are healthier and have a higher PF than inactive adults throughout different nations and populations groups. [11][12][13] PA is promoted as part of a healthy lifestyle.…”

25 Jahre Langzeitstudie – Gesundheit zum Mitmachen

“…Ebenfalls thematisieren keine Studien den Einfluss von längsschnittlichen Veränderungen der sportlichen Aktivität (Aktivitätskarrieren) auf die längsschnittlichen Veränderungen von Fitness und Gesundheit. [6,7]. Vergleicht man körperlich-sportliche Aktive mit Inaktiven, so sind die Aktiven im mittleren Erwachsenenalter motorisch rund 10 Jahre jünger.…”

“…Hier stellt sich außerdem die Frage, inwiefern die Ergebnisse der Studie deutschlandweit verallgemeinerbar sind. Bad Schönborn gilt als repräsentativ hinsichtlich der soziodemografischen Rahmendaten für eine rurale Gemeinde in Deutschland, wobei die körperliche Aktivität im Vergleich zu anderen Studien leicht über dem deutschen Mittel liegt [6]. Detaillierte Analysen zum Drop-Out ergaben, dass die Verzerrungen aufgrund von selektivem Nonresponse jedoch relativ gering sind.…”

“…Vergleicht man körperlich-sportliche Aktive mit Inaktiven, so sind die Aktiven im mittleren Erwachsenenalter motorisch rund 10 Jahre jünger. Weitere differenzierte Analysen zum Zusammenhang zwischen verschiedenen Formen körperlicher Aktivität und Fitness finden sich bei Schmidt et al [6]. In Abhängigkeit vom betriebenen Sport sind die Fitnessunterschiede zwischen Aktiven und Inaktiven nicht immer gravierend, im Alter jedoch entscheidend, und zeigen Zusammenhänge zum subjektiven Wohlbefinden.…”