Patterns of leisure-time physical activity participation in a British birth cohort at early old age

Abstract

Using data from a nationally representative British birth cohort we characterized the type and diversity of leisure-time physical activity that 2,188 participants (age 60-64 years) engaged in throughout the year by gender and obesity. Participants most commonly reported walking (71%), swimming (33%), floor exercises (24%) and cycling (15%). Sixty-two percent of participants reported ≥ 2 activities in the past year and 40% reported diversity on a regular basis. Regular engagement in different types of activity (cardio-respiratory, balance/flexibility and strength) was reported by 67%, 19% and 11% of participants, respectively. We found gender differences, as well as differences by obesity status, in the activities reported, the levels of activity diversity and activity type. Non-obese participants had greater activity diversity, and more often reported activities beneficial for cardio-respiratory health and balance/flexibility than obese participants. These findings may be used to inform the development of trials of physical activity interventions targeting older adults, and those older adults with high body mass index.

Figure 1. The percentage (%) of participants, (n^§ = 2188) reporting sport and exercise activities on a regular basis^‡, by gender.

^§ Percentages reported are based on available n for each specific activity; ^‡‘report of weekly participation in ‘x’ activity of minimum duration, 30 minutes per episode’. ^*p<0.05; ^‡p<0.10: test of gender difference. Note: No difference by gender existed for exercises with weights and conditioning exercises either in the last year or report of regular participation; N's were not robust to examine football, horse-riding, cricket, ice-skating, martial arts, and netball by gender due to low number of participants reporting these activities. Activity order was determined by the most frequent activity in both genders combined. Top ten most frequently reported activities by gender (where ‘1’ indicates most frequently reported activity): Men: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) golfing, 3) floor exercises, 4) backpacking/hill-walking, 5) conditioning exercises, 6) cycling, 7) swimming, 8) exercises with weights, 9) fishing and 10) snooker. Women: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) floor exercises, 3) swimming, 4) conditioning exercises, 5) aerobics, 6) dancing, 7) backpacking/hill-walking, 8) exercises with weights, 9) golfing and 10) cycling.

Figure 2. The percentage (%) of men (n^§ = 1046) and women (n^§ = 1142) reporting sport and exercise activities on a regular basis^‡, by obesity status.

^§ Percentages reported are based on available n for each specific activity; ^‡‘report of weekly participation in ‘x’ activity of minimum duration, 30 minutes per episode’. ^*p<0.05; ^‡p<0.10: test of difference by obesity status. (A) Activity order was determined by the most frequent activity among men. Top ten most frequently reported activities among men (where ‘1’ indicates most frequently reported activity): BMI<30 kg/m²: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) golfing, 3) floor exercises, 4) backpacking/hill-walking, 5) conditioning exercises, 6) cycling, 7) swimming, 8) fishing, 9) exercises with weights and 10) snooker. BMI≥30 kg/m²: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) golfing, 3) conditioning exercises, 4) backpacking/hill-walking, 5) fishing, 6) exercises with weights, 7) swimming, 8) floor exercises, 9) sailing and 10) cycling. (B) Activity order was determined by the most frequent activity among women. Top ten most frequently reported activities among women (where ‘1’ indicates most frequently reported activity): BMI<30 kg/m²: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) floor exercises, 3) swimming, 4) aerobics, 5) conditioning exercise, 6) dancing,7) backpacking/hill-walking, 8) exercises with weights, 9) golfing and 10) cycling. BMI≥30 kg/m²: 1) walking for pleasure, 2) floor exercises, 3) swimming, 4) conditioning exercise, 5) aerobics, 6) exercises with weights, 7) dancing, 8) bowling, 9) backpacking/hill-walking and 10) cycling.