Household physical activity and mortality in older adults: A national cohort study in Spain

• Published in: Preventive medicine 2014-04, Vol.61, p.14-19
• Main Authors: Martínez-Gómez, David, Guallar-Castillón, Pilar, León-Muñoz, Luz M, Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcohol Drinking - epidemiology; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Cohort analysis; Cohort Studies; Epidemiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Health Status; Households; Housekeeping - statistics & numerical data; Housework; Humans; Internal Medicine; Leisure Activities; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mobility Limitation; Mortality; Mortality - trends; Motor Activity - physiology; Physical activity; Prevention and actions; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regression Analysis; Sedentary Lifestyle; Sedentary time; Smoking - epidemiology; Smoking - psychology; Socioeconomic Factors; Spain; Spain - epidemiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Survival; Survival Analysis; Women
• ISSN: 0091-7435; 1096-0260
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.01.006

Abstract Objective To examine the association between household physical activity (HPA) and all-cause mortality in a cohort of older adults from Spain, and the role of sedentary time on this association. Method Prospective cohort study of 2874 individuals aged ≥ 62 years. In 2003, the time spent in HPA and the time spent seated were self-reported. The association of HPA with all-cause mortality through 2011 was assessed with Cox regression. Results During the follow-up, 970 participants died. In men, HPA was inversely associated with the risk of death only among those with longer sitting time (≥ 8 h/d): compared to those who did not do HPA, the mortality hazard ratio (HR) was 0.80 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.60–1.08) and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.27–0.69) for those who spent > 0 to 2 h/d and > 2 h/d in HPA, respectively ( P for trend < 0.001). In women, sitting time did not modify the study association. Thus, compared to women who spent < 2 h/d in HPA, the HR for mortality was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.56–0.93) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.39–0.70) for those who spent > 2 to 4 h/d, and > 4 h/d in HPA, respectively ( P for trend < 0.001). Conclusion In women, HPA is associated with reduced mortality regardless of sitting time. HPA may also contribute to longer survival among men with longer sitting time.