Measurements of Older Adults’ Physical Competence under the Concept of Physical Literacy: A Scoping Review

Yan Huang, Kim-Wai Raymond Sum, Yi-Jian Yang and Nelson Chun-Yiu Yeung
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Yan Huang: Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Kim-Wai Raymond Sum: Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Yi-Jian Yang: Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
Nelson Chun-Yiu Yeung: The Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-18

Abstract: Physical literacy, especially in the fields of physical education and public health, has been gaining global interest in recent years. Applying an appropriate method to measure physical competence under the concept of physical literacy for older adults aligns with the goal of healthy aging. In this scoping review, we reflected on previous empirical studies regarding the measurements of physical competence among older adults holistically and systematically to identify and analyze gaps in the topic of “physical literacy” among older adults as a precursor to a systematic review. We searched five databases using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for Protocols guidelines: (1) SPORTDiscus; (2) PubMed; (3) Scopus; (4) ScienceDirect; and (5) Web of Science. There were 29 studies included in our thematic analysis. Through our review, we found that 73% of the mean age of the participants comprised older baby boomers who were from 65–74 years old as aging continues. Therefore, more effort should be made in developing physical literacy for older adults with the goal of health promotion. Our results showed that most studies adopted both self-reported and objective measures, in which objective measures were widely embraced by scholars in the measurement, while self-reported measures were encouraged to be included in the assessment as well. Using assessment tools to measure a combination of actual physical competence and perceived physical competence is recommended in the measurement of physical competence, especially in older adults. In addition, other elements of physical literacy should be taken into account when measuring physical competency in older adults. For future implementation, when framing the model to chart physical literacy for older adults, it is important to review the definition again and adopt a holistic measurement system including every aspect of physical literacy.

Keywords: physical literacy; physical competence; measurements; older adults; scoping review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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