Determinants of healthy lifestyle and its related factors among elderly people

Medical and health advances have led to relative increases in human longevity and elderly population. Common diseases in elders can be prevented using healthy lifestyle. Identifying current status of the elderly is necessary to design educational intervention programs to improve their health and quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing the lifestyle of the elderly in Islamshar (suburban of Tehran).

A descriptive - analytical study conducted among 480 elderly people over 60 years old referred to Islamshahr Health Center of Tehran University of Medical Sciences for a period of 12 months in 2012-2013. Data were collected through at two-part questionnaire including sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and healthy lifestyle instrument. Healthy lifestyle of the elderly was assessed using a 46 items self-report standard instrument with five subscales reflecting domains including exercise, nutrition, prevention, stress management, and social relationship. Finally, the data obtained were analyzed using the SPSS 18 software using an independent t-test, analysis of variance and ordinal logistic regression test at a significant level of P < 0.05.

Mean score of total healthy lifestyle was 148.56 ± 11.5. Men and women scored 151.95 ± 11.15 and 145 ± 10.32, respectively (P < 0.001). 76.2% of participants had moderately healthy lifestyle, and 23.8% had desirable healthy lifestyle. Marital status and gender were important factors in elderly healthy lifestyle.

The status of a healthy lifestyle among the elderly in Islamshar was relatively moderate. However, more studies are needed for further information to confirm study results. Study results were posed the necessity of tailoring specific interventional programs to achieve desirable healthy lifestyle.