Physical activity and mortality related to obesity and functional status in older adults in Spain

Older people who increase or maintain their physical activity have lower mortality than those who remain sedentary. This could result from a lower body weight and a better functional status that allow to be more active. However, this explanation would be unlikely if the benefits of physical activity on mortality were seen also in older people with obesity or functional limitations.

This study examined the association between change in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and mortality in older adults, and whether this association varied with obesity and functional limitations.

Data were taken from a prospectively follow-up study of 2732 people representative of the Spanish population aged ≥60 years. Changes in LTPA from 2001 to 2003 were linked to all-cause mortality from 2003 to 2009. Analyses were performed in 2010 with Cox models adjusted for the main confounders, and were stratified by obesity and functional limitations.

Compared with people who were continually sedentary from 2001 to 2003, those who increased their LTPA had 34% lower mortality (hazard ratio [HR]=0.66, 95% CI=0.52, 0.84), and those who were continually active had 45% lower mortality (HR=0.55; 95% CI=0.43, 0.70). These results did not vary in analyses stratified by obesity and functional limitations.

Increasing or maintaining LTPA is associated with greater longevity in older adults, even those with obesity or functional limitations. Given the high frequency of these disorders, the current results suggest that most older adults can benefit from an active lifestyle.