Physical inactivity in New Zealanders aged 60 years and older

To determine the prevalence of physical inactivity among older New Zealanders (> or = 60 years) and to examine the patterns of physical inactivity by sex, age, residential and cognitive status.

Information on housework-related and leisure-time physical activities obtained from the 910 controls in the Auckland Hip Fracture Study, was used to determine the prevalence of inactivity. Direct standardisation was used to extrapolate the inactivity prevalence figures from the study population to the general Auckland population. Logistic regression analyses were undertaken to examine the patterns of physical inactivity by sex, age, residential and cognitive status.

Of the study participants 48.7% did not undertake any leisure-time physical activities and 15.6% did not undertake any physical activity. Extrapolation of these data to the Auckland population indicated that 38.9% of older people do not participate in any leisure time activity and 6.1% do not partake in any physical activity. Non-participation in physical activities was shown to be greater for women (odds ratio = 1.92; 95% confidence interval: 0.98-4.07); those in the older age groups (> or = 90 years, 7.00; 1.88-45.60); those living in institutions (6.52; 4.01-10.64); and for those who were cognitively impaired (13.96; 7.06-28.92).

Policies and programmes should focus on encouraging and supporting older people to become physically more active, by engaging in activities in which they enjoy participating; by educating older people as to the feasibility and benefits of physical activities, including maintenance of an independent active life; and by encouraging residents in institutions to continue their involvement in housework-related activities, such as gardening, home maintenance and general housework.