The relationship between physical activity trajectories and frailty: a 20-year prospective cohort among community-dwelling older people

Abstract

Background Studies on examining the relationship between physical activity patterns and frailty are lacking. This study examined physical activity patterns in older people and investigated the relationship between physical activity and frailty as well as identifying the predictors of frailty. Methods We used a nationally representative longitudinal database, the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging (TLSA) database, and data for a 20-year period were extracted and analyzed. A total of 5131 participants aged ≥ 60 years in 1996 were included in the current analysis. Information regarding demographic characteristics, frailty, physical activity, comorbidities, oral health, and depressive symptoms was extracted from the TLSA database. Physical activity patterns were examined using group-based trajectory modeling from 1996 to 2015. Potential predictors were examined by performing multivariate logistic regression. Results Four trajectories of the physical activity pattern were found: consistently physically inactive (33.7%), consistently physically active (21.5%), incline (21.6%), and decline (23.2%). Throughout the period, the trajectories of the four groups significantly differed from each other at year 2015, with the incline and decline groups exhibiting the lowest and highest frailty scores, respectively (p < 0.001). Older age, male, poor oral health, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and depressive symptoms were identified as risk factors for frailty. Conclusion Physical activity reduces the risk of chronic conditions, which contributes to healthy longevity. This study can guide the development of future research and interventions to manage frailty in older people, particularly in considering previous physical activity trajectories within the life course.

Sedentary Behaviour Associated with Frailty and Depressive Symptoms in Community- Dwelling Older Adults: a cross sectional study

“…Our ndings showed that sedentary activity level was associated with frailty in older adults. This ndings in agreement with the results of previous studies conducted among older adults in Taiwan and Brazil [28,29]. A study from Taiwan found four trajectories of physical activity among older adults: consistently physically inactive, consistently physically active, incline, and decline in physical activity [29].…”

“…This ndings in agreement with the results of previous studies conducted among older adults in Taiwan and Brazil [28,29]. A study from Taiwan found four trajectories of physical activity among older adults: consistently physically inactive, consistently physically active, incline, and decline in physical activity [29]. The decline in physical activity group had the highest frailty score, while the incline group had the lowest frailty score, after 20 years of follow-up [29].…”

“…A study from Taiwan found four trajectories of physical activity among older adults: consistently physically inactive, consistently physically active, incline, and decline in physical activity [29]. The decline in physical activity group had the highest frailty score, while the incline group had the lowest frailty score, after 20 years of follow-up [29]. Furthermore, a study from Brazil found that low physical activity level combined with excessive time spent in sedentary behavior was associated with frailty, after adjusting for sociodemographic factors [28].…”