Loading...
Publication
The Role of Physical Function in the Association between Physical Activity and Gait Speed in Older Adults: A Mediation Analysis
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.87 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Adequate levels of physical function (PF) are essential for vulnerable older adults to
perform their daily tasks safely and remain autonomous. Our objective was to explore the mediating
role of PF in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and gait speed (GS) in a large sample of
older adults from the north of Brazil. This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed 697 older adults
(mean age 70.35 ± 6.86 years) who participated in the project “Health, Lifestyle, and Physical Fitness
in Older Adults in Amazonas” (SEVAAI). PA was assessed using the Baecke Questionnaire, PF using
the Senior Fitness Test, and GS using the 50-foot Walk Test. Mediation pathways were analyzed to
test the possible mediating role of PF between specific PA domains (PA-total score, PA-housework,
PA-sport, PA-leisure) and GS. Regarding PA-total, the analysis showed that high-performance GS
was partially mediated in approximately 19% by better PF performance. Moreover, the PF could
partially mediate the association between PA-sport and PA-leisure with GS, at levels of approximately
9% and 46%, respectively. An inverse relationship was observed between PA-housework (sedentary lifestyle) and GS. This association was partially mediated to an extent of approximately 9% by better
PF performance. We conclude that PF plays a crucial role in mediating the association between PA
and GS among vulnerable older adults.
Description
Keywords
Aging Sedentary behavior Physical activity Physical function Mobility Vulnerability Older adults . Faculdade de Ciências Sociais
Citation
Nascimento, M.d.M.; Gouveia, É.R.; Marques, A.; Gouveia, B.R.; Marconcin, P.; França, C.; Ihle, A. The Role of Physical Function in the Association between Physical Activity and Gait Speed in Older Adults: A Mediation Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19, 12581. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ijerph191912581
Publisher
MDPI