Physical mobility, physical activity, and obesity among elderly: findings from a large population-based Swedish survey

• Published in: Public health (London) Vol. 147; pp. 84 - 91
• Main Authors: Asp, M, Simonsson, B, Larm, P, Molarius, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: 80 and over; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; body height; Body mass; Body mass index; Body size; body weight; chi square test; comorbidity; Confidence intervals; controlled study; Cross-Sectional Studies; cross-sectional study; depression; Elderly; elderly population; Exercise; fat mass; Female; Folkhälsovetenskap; food intake; fruit intake; geriatric care; Geriatrics; health survey; Health Surveys; Healthy food; human; Humans; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; major clinical study; Male; Mobility; Mobility Limitation; Obesity; Obesity - epidemiology; Older people; Physical activity; Physical fitness; physical inactivity; Physical mobility; Polls & surveys; Population (statistical); population based case control study; Population studies; Prevalence; Public health; Public Health Science; questionnaire; Regression analysis; Response rates; self report; social status; Socioeconomic factors; Socioeconomic status; Statistical analysis; Statistical tests; Sweden; Sweden - epidemiology; Swedish citizen; vegetable intake; very elderly; walking difficulty; Weight control; Sweden; Obesity; Population studies; Sweden; Physical activity; Physical mobility; Elderly
• ISSN: 0033-3506; 1476-5616; 1476-5616
• DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2017.01.032

Abstract Objective To examine how physical activity and physical mobility are related to obesity in the elderly. Study design A cross-sectional study of 2558 men and women aged 65 years and older who participated in a population survey in 2012 was conducted in mid-Sweden with an overall response rate of 67%. Methods Obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 ) was based on self-reported weight and height, and physical activity and physical mobility on questionnaire data. Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regressions were used as statistical analyses. Results The overall prevalence of obesity was 19% in women and 15% in men and decreased after the age of 75 years. A strong association between both physical activity and obesity, and physical mobility and obesity was found. The odds for obesity were higher for impaired physical mobility (odds ratio [OR] 2.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.14–3.75) than for physical inactivity (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.28–2.08) when adjusted for gender, age, socio-economic status and fruit and vegetable intake. However, physical activity was associated with obesity only among elderly with physical mobility but not among those with impaired physical mobility. Conclusion It is important to focus on making it easier for elderly with physical mobility to become or stay physically active, whereas elderly with impaired physical mobility have a higher prevalence of obesity irrespective of physical activity.