Seasonal Variation of Physical Activity in Community-Living vs. Residential-Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract

Background and Purpose: Although physical activity (PA) is important for all ages including older adults, participation may be influenced by weather variation and access to programming. Our primary aim was determine if PA participation is influenced by season and place of residence. A secondary aim was to compare objective and subjective measure of PA participation. Methods: Participants included older individuals (age>65) living in a residential retirement community (RR) with access to an on-site fitness facility (n=7) and additional volunteers (n=9) who lived at home and traveled to exercise at a nonresidential community (NR) activities center Accelerometers were used to measure daily PA during the summer and again during the winter. Results: PA for the NR group was higher in the summer (268.4�73.7 min vs. RR=186.8�68.0, p=0.039), but not in the winter (NR=261.8�92.6 min, RR=182.0�72.5, p=0.082). No within-group change in PA was noted from summer to winter for either group (p>0.05). The correlation between subjective and objective measures of PA was low (r=.262). Conclusion: Access to appropriate facilities and programming serves to help older individuals maintain PA levels despite seasonal weather variations. The low correlation between objective and subjective measures suggest a need to re-evaluate methods of tracking PA participation by older adults.

An evaluation of an intervention designed to help inactive adults become more active with a peer mentoring component: a protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility trial of the Move for Life programme

“…The study aims to recruit inactive, harder to reach groups including ethnic minorities, people less inclined to group participation and those that are socially excluded. ‘Physically active’ is defined by the national Physical Activity Guidelines (PAGL) as 150 min of physical activity of at least moderate intensity per week [21, 22]. All potential participants will be asked to complete a short two-item self-report physical activity screening questionnaire [23].…”

Association between Weather and Self-Monitored Steps in Individuals with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes in Sweden over Two Years

“…Although previous weather-related studies have not specifically focused on populations with chronic diseases, many have examined how weather and seasonal changes impact objectively measured physical activity levels in older adults [21,26,27]. For instance, Klenk et al found a strong positive association between the daily maximum temperature and global radiation and objectively measured walking among older adults, but found no strong correlation with daylight length [28].…”