Exploring Differences in Older Adult Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Behavior and Resting Blood Pressure Before and...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Older adults exhibit higher sedentary behavior (SB) and lower physical activity.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions exacerbated these trends, with significant health implications.
• Objective data on pandemic-related changes in SB and health among older adults are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare SB, physical activity, and blood pressure (BP) in older adults before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To assess the impact of pandemic-related lifestyle changes on health outcomes in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• Utilized thigh-worn activPAL accelerometers and BP measurements from pre-pandemic and post-pandemic cohorts.
• Compared data from 95 pre-pandemic participants with 60 post-pandemic participants.
• Employed linear regression models adjusted for demographic and health factors.

Main Results:

• The post-pandemic group was older, more female, and included a higher proportion of individuals of color.
• Systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in the post-pandemic group (6.8 mmHg increase).
• Trends indicated increased sitting time, fewer daily steps, and more self-reported TV time post-pandemic, though not statistically significant.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic was linked to elevated systolic blood pressure in older adults.
• Observed trends suggest a worsening of sedentary behavior and a decrease in physical activity post-pandemic.
• Further research is needed to fully understand these impacts and inform interventions for older adults.