Three‐Year Changes in Physical Activity and Decline in Physical Performance Over 9 Years of Follow‐Up in Older Adults: The Invecchiare in Chianti Study

• Published in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) 2017-06, Vol.65 (6), p.1176-1182
• Main Authors: Martinez‐Gomez, David, Bandinelli, Stefania, Del‐Panta, Vieri, Patel, Kushang V., Guralnik, Jack M., Ferrucci, Luigi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; aging; Aging - physiology; Alcoholic beverages; Body mass; Body mass index; Cancer; Cardiovascular disease; Coronary artery disease; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Heart diseases; Humans; Independent Living; Italy; Longitudinal Studies; Lung cancer; Lung diseases; Obstructive lung disease; Older people; Osteoarthritis; Physical activity; physical performance; Smoking; Stroke; Surveys and Questionnaires; Walking
• ISSN: 0002-8614; 1532-5415
• DOI: 10.1111/jgs.14788

Objectives To examine the associations between cumulative physical activity (PA) and its changes over 3 years and changes over 9 years of follow‐up in physical performance in older adults. Design Longitudinal. Setting Community‐based. Participants Men and women aged 65 and older from the Invecchiare in Chianti study (N = 782). Measurements Physical performance was assessed at baseline and at 3‐, 6‐, and 9‐year follow‐up using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). PA was assessed through an interviewer‐administered questionnaire at baseline and 3‐year follow‐up. Analyses were adjusted for education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, cancer, lung disease, lower extremity osteoarthritis, depression, and Mini‐Mental State Examination. Results Over 3 years of follow‐up, 27.8% of participants were inactive, 52.2% were minimally active, and 20.0% were active, and the PA of 37.2% decreased, there was no change in PA of 50.1% and the PA of 12.7% increased. After adjustment for potential covariates, being mostly active (−1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −1.43 to −0.73) and minimally active (−1.33, 95% CI = −1.53 to −1.12) over 3 years of follow‐up was associated with less decline in SPPB score than being mostly inactive (−2.60, 95% CI = −2.92 to −2.27). When analyzing changes, increasing PA (−0.57, 95% CI = −1.01 to −0.12) was associated with less decline in SPPB score over 9 years than decreasing PA (−2.16, 95% CI = −2.42 to −1.89). Conclusion Maintaining or increasing PA levels may attenuate age‐associated physical performance decline.