Summary: | This study analyzed the relationship of physical activity levels with walking
ability and fall-related fitness in older adults in the Henan Provence, China.
Physical activity levels of 288 older adults were assessed using the short form
of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were
divided into low (LPAG, n = 81), moderate (MPAG, n = 106), and high physical
activity groups (HPAG, n = 101). The 10-m walking test (10MWT), 3-m backward
walking (3MBW), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used to evaluate walking
ability. Thirty seconds Sit to Stand Test (30SST), Time up and Go Test (TUGT),
and figure-of-8 walk test (8WT) were evaluated for fall-related fitness. One-way
ANOVA was used to detect between group differences, whilst Pearson’s correlation
was used to evaluate the relationship between total physical activity level and
the measured variables. Logistic regression analyses were used to compute the
odds ratios (ORs) of LPAG and MPAG relative to HPAG. There were significant
differences between the groups for walking ability, 10MWT (p < 0.01),
3MBW, and BBS (p < 0.01), and also for variables of fall-related
fitness, TUGT (p < 0.01), and 8WT (p < 0.01). Total
physical activity levels had significant correlations with all variables except
30SST. In the walking ability, OR for 10MWT was 2.42 and 2.53 times for the LPAG
compared to that for HPAG by model 1 and model 2. OR for BBS was 3.24 and 3.54
times for the LPAG and 9.31 and 9.65 times for the MPAG compared to for the HPAG
by model 1 and model 2. In the fall-related fitness, OR for 8WT was 14.09 and
16.76 times for the LPAG compared to that for HPAG. High levels of physical
activity are positively correlated with good walking ability and fall-related
fitness. Increasing physical activity levels can reduce the risks associated with
impaired walking ability and fall-related fitness.
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