Role of physical activity, physical fitness, and chronic health conditions on the physical independence of community-dwelling older adults over a 5-year period

Abstract

A B S T R A C TThe variability in the individual characteristics and habits could help determine how older adults maintain independence. The impact of the variability in physical activity, physical fitness, body composition, and chronic health conditions (co-morbidities) on the independence of older adults, especially over time, is seldom examined. This study aims to analyze quantitatively the impact of baseline values and changes in physical activity, physical fitness, body composition, and co-morbidities on the physical independence of community-dwelling, older adults over a 5-year period. Data from 106 and 85 community-dwelling adults (!60 years) were collected at baseline and after five years, respectively. Linear regression selected the main predictors of changes in physical independence as follows: the baseline physical independence (b = 0.032, R 2 = 9.9%) and co-morbidities (b = À0.191, R 2 = 6.3%) and the changes in co-morbidities (b = À0.244, R 2 = 10.8%), agility (b = À0.288, R 2 = 6.7%), aerobic endurance (b = 0.007, R 2 = 3.2%), and walking expenditure (b = 0.001, R 2 = 5.1%) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, baseline physical independence, baseline co-morbidities, and changes in co-morbidities, walking, agility, and aerobic endurance predicted physical independence over five years regardless of age and gender. Gains of up to 8.3% in physical independence were associated with improvements in these variables, which corresponds to regaining independence for performing one or two activities of daily living.

Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise in Older Adults With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Physical fitness is a key factor in predicting maintained or increased physical independence over time (40), which is particularly important for patients with RA, since becoming dependent on others is one of the concerns of aging with RA (7). The intervention did not have any significant impact on isometric elbow flexion force, which could be related to the main focus of the exercise protocol being the lower limbs.…”

Behaviour change techniques to facilitate physical activity in older adults: what and how

“…In light of significant benefits associated with physical activity (PA) engagement in older age (Pereira, Baptista and Cruz-Ferreira 2016), such as prevention of falls and consequent injuries (Sherrington et al 2011), coupled with a majority of older adults not meeting the current PA guidelines (Sims et al 2014; Sun, Norman and While 2013), several reviews have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of PA interventions targeting older adults. Overall, these reviews found a lack of interventions targeting specifically older adults (Chase 2015), with existing interventions producing only small effects on PA (D. P. French et al 2014).…”

Effectiveness of a Treadmill Training Programme in Improving the Postural Balance on Institutionalized Older Adults

“…Institutionalized older adults have fewer opportunities to participate in daily-life activities and tasks in an independent manner, with greater consequent deleterious effects on the physiological losses inherent to aging and with increased gait and balance impairment compared with communitydwelling older adults [8][9][10]. Physical activities for institutionalized older adults are crucial for the maintenance of their functional independence or for the reduction of their dependence during activities of daily living (ADLs), in addition to increasing self-esteem [11,12].…”