Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines by Walking in Older Adults from Three-Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background Physical inactivity is a global pandemic associated with a high burden of disease and premature mortality. There is also a trend in growing economic inequalities which impacts population health. There is no global analysis of the relationship between income inequality and population levels of physical inactivity. Methods Two thousand sixteen World Health Organisation’s country level data about compliance with the 2010 global physical activity guidelines were analysed against country level income interquantile ratio data obtained from the World Bank, OECD and World Income Inequality Database. The analysis was stratified by country income (Low, Middle and High) according to the World Bank classification and gender. Multiple regression was used to quantify the association between physical activity and income inequality. Models were adjusted for GDP and percentage of GDP spent on health care for each country and out of pocket health care spent. Results Significantly higher levels of inactivity and a wider gap between the percentage of women and men meeting global physical activity guidelines were found in countries with higher income inequality in high and middle income countries irrespective of a country wealth and spend on health care. For example, in higher income countries, for each point increase in the interquantile ratio data, levels of inactivity in women were 3.73% (CI 0.89 6.57) higher, levels of inactivity in men were 2.04% (CI 0.08 4.15) higher and the gap in inactivity levels between women and men was 1.50% larger (CI 0.16 2.83). Similar relationships were found in middle income countries with lower effect sizes. These relationships were, however, not demonstrated in the low-income countries. Conclusions Economic inequalities, particularly in high- and middle- income countries might contribute to physical inactivity and might be an important factor to consider and address in order to combat the global inactivity pandemic and to achieve the World Health Organisation target for inactivity reduction.

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Factors Associated with Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior in Older Adults from Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph15050908 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (5) ◽

pp. 908 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Cadeyrn Gaskin ◽

Liliana Orellana

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Middle Income ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Moving more, ageing happy: findings from six low- and middle-income countries

Age and Ageing ◽

10.1093/ageing/afaa137 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mireia Felez-Nobrega ◽

Josep Maria Haro ◽

Brendon Stubbs ◽

Lee Smith ◽

Ai Koyanagi

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Well Being ◽

Influential Factors ◽

Health Study ◽

Older Population ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Activity Promotion ◽

Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background low levels of well-being (including happiness) in the older population are major global concern given rapid population ageing especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Physical activity may increase levels of happiness, but data on the older population are scarce, while there are no data from LMICs. Objective we investigated the relationship between physical activity and happiness, and the influential factors in this association among older adults employing nationally representative datasets from six LMICs. Methods community-based cross-sectional data from the Global Ageing and Adult Health study were analysed. Physical activity was assessed with the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Participants were grouped into those who do and do not meet physical activity recommendations. Happiness was assessed with a cross-culturally validated single-item question (range 0–4) with higher scores indicating higher levels of happiness. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression and mediation analyses were performed. Results the sample included 14,585 adults aged ≥65 years (mean age = 72.6 ± SD 11.4 years; 55% female). After adjusting for multiple confounders, meeting physical activity guidelines was positively associated with more happiness (fully adjusted model, odds ratio = 1.27; 95% confidence interval = 1.04–1.54). The physical activity–happiness association was largely explained by difficulties in mobility, cognitive impairment, disability and social cohesion, which explained ≥20% of the association. Conclusions meeting recommended physical activity levels was positively linked with happiness in older adults from LMICs. Longitudinal and interventional studies among older people in LMICs are warranted to assess directionality and the potential for physical activity promotion to improve mental well-being in this population.

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Correlates of Domain-Specific Physical Activity Among Older Adults in Six Low- to Middle-Income Countries: Analysis of Nationally Representative Samples From Study of Global Aging and Adult Health (SAGE) (Wave 1)

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2019-0477 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Mengyun Luo ◽

Philayrath Phongsavan ◽

Adrian Bauman ◽

Joel Negin ◽

Zhiruo Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Social Capital ◽

Total Physical Activity ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Structural Social Capital ◽

Representative Samples

The correlates of physical activity differ across domains. The authors explored the contribution of domain-specific physical activity to total physical activity and examined how different sociodemographic and social capital-related variables are associated with different physical activity domains in older adults, using nationally representative samples from six low- to middle-income countries. Activity at work and home combined plays an important role in contributing to total physical activity, while leisure-time physical activity accounted for an extremely small proportion. Some correlates of physical activity were similar across countries, such as working status and structural social capital, while other associations were country specific. Promoting structural social capital, trust, and perceived safety may confer positive benefits on older adults’ activity.

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Meeting Physical Activity Guidelines by Walking in Older Adults From Three Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From the International Mobility in Aging Study

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2018-0463 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 333-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chevelle M.A. Davis ◽

Tetine L. Sentell ◽

Juliana Fernandes de Souza Barbosa ◽

Alban Ylli ◽

Carmen-Lucia Curcio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Ecological Model ◽

Study Data ◽

International Mobility ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Middle Income ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Aging Study

Physical activity (PA) among older adults is understudied in middle-income countries. The authors examined the associations of factors across levels of the social ecological model (individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community) with older adults meeting guidelines of 150 min of moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA per week through walking in three middle-income countries: Albania (n = 387), Colombia (n = 404), and Brazil (n = 402). Using 2012 International Mobility in Aging Study data, multivariate logistic regression models identified the following significant associations with meeting PA guidelines through walking (a) individual level: depression (odds ratio [OR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.45, 0.86]), being female (OR = 0.74, 95% CI [0.56, 0.998]), and high relative education (OR = 1.79, 95% CI [1.33, 2.41]) and (b) interpersonal level: high life partner (OR = 1.38, 95% CI [1.04, 1.83]) and friend social ties (OR = 1.39, 95% CI [1.05, 1.83]). While individual and interpersonal variables were associated with meeting PA guidelines, community-level social and environmental variables were not.

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Correlates of Physical Activity Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Hazardous Drinking Habits in Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2017-0213 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (4) ◽

pp. 589-598 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Davy Vancampfort ◽

Brendon Stubbs ◽

Mats Hallgren ◽

Andreas Lundin ◽

James Mugisha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Hazardous Drinking ◽

Urban Setting ◽

World Health ◽

Drinking Patterns ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

We investigated physical activity (PA) correlates among middle-aged and older adults (aged ≥50 years) with hazardous drinking patterns in six low- and middle-income countries. Cross-sectional data were analyzed from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health. Hazardous drinking was defined as consuming >7 (females) or >14 (males) standard drinks per week. Participants were dichotomized into low (i.e., not meeting 150 min of moderate PA/week) and moderate–high physically active groups. Associations between PA and a range of correlates were examined using multivariable logistic regressions. The prevalence of low PA in 1,835 hazardous drinkers (60.5 ± 13.1 years; 87.9% males) was 16.2% (95% confidence interval [13.9%, 18.9%]). Older age, living in an urban setting, being unemployed, depression, underweight, obesity, asthma, visual impairment, poor self-rated health, and higher levels of disability were identified as significant PA correlates. The current data provide important guidance for future interventions to assist older hazardous drinkers to engage in regular PA.

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