Association Between Energy Availability and Physical Activity in Older Adults

Abstract

Objective Age-related declines in physical activity are commonly observed in human and animal populations, but their physiological bases are not fully understood. We hypothesize that a lack of available energy contributes to low levels of activity in older persons. Design Cross-sectional analyses of relationships between physical activity level and energy availability were performed in 602 community-dwelling volunteers aged 45 to 91 yrs from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA). Energy expenditure was measured at rest and during a maximal 400-meter walk for calculation of “available energy.” Overall and vigorous physical activity levels were assessed using standardized questionnaires. General linear regression models were used to assess the relationships between available energy and general and vigorous physical activity, and stratified analyses were used to analyze the possible differential association between available energy and physical activity across high and low (peak sustained walking VO2 <18.3 ml O2/kg/min) levels of aerobic fitness. Results Low available energy was associated with low levels of total physical activity (β = 64.678, p = .015) and vigorous activity (β = 9.123, p < .0001). The direct relationship between available energy and physical activity was particularly strong in persons categorized as having low aerobic fitness between available energy and physical activity with both total (β = 119.783, p = .022) and vigorous activity (β = 10.246, p = .015) and was independent of body composition and age. Conclusions Findings from this study support the hypothesis that available energy promotes the maintenance of physical activity in older persons. The findings also run counter to the perception that age-related declines in physical activity are primarily societally or behaviorally driven.

Effects of blueberry supplementation on measures of functional mobility in older adults

“…Baseline usual gait speed ranged from 0.91 to 1.42 m/s, and the mean (SD) was 1.17 (0.18) m/s, with no difference between supplementation groups. These values are similar to those reported in other studies of older populations with normal functional capacity (Hardy et al 2007;Schrager et al 2014;Studenski et al 2011). In the BB group, usual gait speed increased significantly from 1.18 m/s to 1.28 m/s (Table 2).…”

Physical Limitations, Walkability, Perceived Environmental Facilitators and Physical Activity of Older Adults in Finland

“…The land use mix component of walkability to some extent covers such facilitators, but it does not capture specific preferences of individuals [32]. Because of the larger effort required to move outdoors and be physically active in those with physical limitations [41], these individuals are more likely to convey strategies to conserve their energy [38,42]. Consequently they may be more specific about which features in the neighborhood environment they consider to be attractive.…”

Validity of a single question to assess habitual physical activity of community‐dwelling older people

“…Poor health, low PA, and poor physical function often coincide in the same individual, and they may reinforce each other, causing a vicious circle of declining health and function (Rantanen et al., ; Laukkanen et al., ; Miller et al., ). In contrast, declines from higher PA levels may be compensatory actions of older people trying to conserve their energy (Baltes & Baltes, ; Schrager et al., ) for essential activities, such as mobility activities. This may explain that declines from regular to moderate SR‐PA were not necessarily associated with declines in mobility.…”