What do men want? A review of the barriers and motivators that engage older men in physical activity

Abstract To design a questionnaire that would determine an Indigenous individual’s perceptions of the barriers and motivators to aerobic and anabolic exercise with a series of questions designed to elicit the factors that impact uptake and retention of regular physical activity. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed to capture information relating to motivators and barriers, traditional physical activities, preferred exercise environments, exercise goals and levels of commitment to physical activity. This article does not report the results of the questionnaire itself but the preparation that was required in order to develop it. Indigenous standpoint theory. Participatory Action Research. A series of consultation meetings were arranged between the first author, a Noongar Aboriginal researcher, with a range of people from the same Noongar community as the author to discuss priorities and develop questions. The drafted questionnaire was shaped with continuous Noongar community feedback to ensure the language, length and appropriateness of questions. Questionnaire reliability was assessed using interclass correlation. Most questions had excellent internal consistency. A consensus was reached on the utility of the questionnaire. The personal contacts of the first author and nature of community involvement in the development of this questionnaire were helpful in assuring that it would be an acceptable tool for the Noongar community. The piloting of the questionnaire was also important in confirming its community acceptability. This article provides a model and suggestions for researching physical activity and exercise in a culturally safe manner.

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Engaging Older Men in Physical Activity: Implications for Health Promotion Practice

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988318792158 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 2064-2075 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Manpreet Kaur Gill Thandi ◽

Alison Phinney ◽

John L. Oliffe ◽

Sabrina Wong ◽

Heather McKay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Men ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Semistructured Interview ◽

Demographic Shift ◽

Community Based ◽

Descriptive Approach ◽

Recommended Guidelines ◽

Health Canada ◽

Larger Sample

According to Health Canada (2016), only about 11% of older men meet recommended guidelines for physical activity, and participation decreases as men age. This places men at considerable risk of poor health, including an array of chronic diseases. A demographic shift toward a greater population of less healthy older men would substantially challenge an already beleaguered health-care system. One strategy to alter this trajectory might be gender-sensitized community-based physical activity. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to enhance understanding of community-dwelling older men’s day-to-day experiences with physical activity. Four men over age 65 participated in a semistructured interview, three walk-along interviews, and a photovoice project. An interpretive descriptive approach to data analysis was used to identify three key themes related to men’s experiences with physical activity: (a) “The things I’ve always done,” (b) “Out and About,” and (c) “You do need the group atmosphere at times.” This research extends the knowledge base around intersections among older men, physical activity, and masculinities. The findings provide a glimpse of the diversity of older men and the need for physical activity programs that are unique to individual preferences and capacities. The findings are not generalized to all men but the learnings from this research may be of value to those who design programs for older men in similar contexts. Future studies might address implementation with a larger sample of older men who reside in a broad range of geographic locations and of different ethnicities.

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OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND BONE DENSITY IN OLDER MEN

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1097/00005768-200305001-00098 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 35 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. S20

Author(s):

D A. Bemben ◽

M L. Griffith ◽

M G. Bemben ◽

M K. Dinger

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Bone Density ◽

Older Men ◽

Occupational Physical Activity

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Habitual meal frequency in relation to resting and activity-induced energy expenditure in human subjects: the role of fat-free mass

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1079/bjn2003940 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 90 (3) ◽

pp. 643-649 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Margriet S. Westerterp-Plantenga ◽

Annelies H. C. Goris ◽

Erwin P. Meijer ◽

Klaas R. Westerterp

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Energy Expenditure ◽

Human Subjects ◽

Older Men ◽

Activity Level ◽

Fat Free Mass ◽

Meal Frequency ◽

Younger Women ◽

Younger Men

Habitual meal frequency was assessed as a possible function of components of energy expenditure (EE) in human subjects. Fifty-six subjects participated (four categories differing in body composition): ten older women (fat-free mass (FFM) 42·0 (sd 6·3) kg, aged 59 (sd 2) years, BMI 27·5 (sd 6·9) kg/m2), fifteen younger women (FFM 45·5 (sd 5·2) kg, aged 34 (sd 10) years, BMI 21·9 (sd 2·3) kg/m2), twelve older men (FFM 56·8 (sd 5·9) kg, aged 62 (sd 4) years, BMI 25·7 (sd 3·3) kg/m2) and nineteen younger men (FFM 63·9 (sd 7·5) kg, aged 23·1 (sd 3·9) years, BMI 22·9 (sd 1·8) kg/m2). Measurements consisted of habitual meal frequency by validated food-intake diaries, physical activity by tri-axial accelerometers and resting EE by a ventilated hood system. Habitual meal frequency was expressed as a function of resting EE (including resting EE as a function of FFM), and of activity-induced EE, using regression analysis. FFM differed according to gender and age categories (P < 0·01). Physical activity level was higher in the younger men than in the other categories (P < 0·05). No relationship of meal frequency with the variables assessed was observed in subjects with a low FFM (the women). In the subjects with a medium FFM (the older men), meal frequency was positively related to resting EE (r2 0·4, P < 0·05), but not to the residuals of resting EE as a function of FFM, and inversely related to activity-induced EE (r2 0·3, P < 0·05). Resting EE explained 40% of the variation in meal frequency; adding activity-induced EE increased this to 60%. In the subjects with a high FFM (the younger men), meal frequency was inversely related to resting EE (r2 0·8, P < 0·0001) and to the residuals of resting EE as a function of FFM (P = 0·03), and positively related to activity-induced EE (r2 0·6, P < 0·0001). Resting EE explained 85% of the variation in meal frequency; adding activity-induced EE increased this to 89%. Habitual meal frequency was a function of components of EE, namely resting EE and activity-induced EE, only in subjects with a medium to high FFM (men). FFM-related differences in these relationships suggest a role of physical activity.

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