Presenter: Tyler Barrett
Mentor: Josh Snodgrass
Poster: 2
Major: Anthropology and Media Studies
Recent research in Western settings suggests that decreased physical activity in old age is detrimental to health, yet few studies have examined the relationships among physical activity, functional abilities, and health among older adults in non-Western settings. This study examines associations among measures of physical activity using seven consecutive days of ActiGraph GT3X accelerometry (total daily energy expenditure [TDEE; kcal/day], physical activity level [PAL], daily average activity count [AC], and activity energy expenditure [AEE; kcal/day]), physical function (grip strength, timed walk, daily average sit time, and average sleep time), and self-reported health conditions (diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and depression) among 127 older adult women and 71 older adult men in an urban setting in India as part of a sub-study of the WHO’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE).
Findings among women (controlled for age) include a significant negative correlation between PAL and walking speed (p<0.05) and a significant positive correlation between AC and grip strength (p<0.01). Women diagnosed with hypertension had significantly lower PAL (p<0.05) and AC (p<0.05) than women without hypertension. Surprisingly, physical activity was not significantly associated with functional or health measures for men. This study documented relationships among physical activity, function, and health among older women, thereby further suggesting the use of physical activity intervention as a means for prolonging functional abilities and reducing chronic disease burden in older ages.
Support: NIH NIA Interagency Agreement YA1323-08-CN-0020; and grant NIH R01-AG034479