Daily Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Assessed by Acceleration Based on Mean Amplitude Deviation among Older People

Ying Gao, Timo Rantalainen, Taija Finni, Erja Portegijs, Johanna Eronen, Taina Rantanen and Merja Rantakokko
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Ying Gao: Department of Sports Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Timo Rantalainen: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Taija Finni: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Erja Portegijs: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Johanna Eronen: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Taina Rantanen: Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, 40014 Jyväskylä, Finland
Merja Rantakokko: School of Health and Social Studies, JAMK University of Applied Sciences, 40101 Jyväskylä, Finland

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-10

Abstract: Accelerometer-derived estimates of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time have been an important methodological focus. However, little is known about the daily activities among older people during their normal lives. Furthermore, some older individuals would like to be more active, yet experience an unmet PA need, which is defined as the desire to engage in more PA but without the opportunity to act on the desire. This study examined the intensity of daily PA and sedentary behavior measured with accelerometers among older people, and whether PA differs between weekdays and weekends and those with and without the experience of unmet PA need, measured with self-reports. A total of 174 community-dwelling older people (64% female) aged 75 to 90 years used an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days during waking hours, and the results were classified for sedentary behavior (thresholds of 0.0167 g), light activity (0.091 g), and moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA, 0.414 g) based on mean amplitude deviation (g). We found that during weekdays, older people engaged slightly more in light activity and had less sedentary time than during weekends. In total, 7.6% of the participants perceived an unmet PA need. Accordingly, those with unmet PA needs spent less time in MVPA, especially during weekdays, and they might benefit from PA-enabling interventions.

Keywords: mobility; inactivity; health promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6887-:d:416614

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