Physical activity and health characteristics : a survey among Dutch elderly women and men

To study physical activity of elderly people and its relationship with health characteristics, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1991/1992 in Arnhem, the Netherlands, among 515 women and 497 men, aged 65 to 85 years. Habitual physical activity was assessed with a questionnaire, previously validated for elderly, and including questions on household activities, sports and other physically active leisure time activities like walking, bicycling and gardening. Health characteristics were assessed by interview (reported disability, chronic diseases, perceived health and respiratory complaints) and physical examination (anthropometry, blood pressure measurements, electrocardiography, and spirometry).Light housework was carried out by 90% of the women and 61% of the men. 87% of the women and 91% of the men were involved in sports or other physically active leisure time activities. Physical activity (including household activities) is related to favorable health characteristics e.g. absence of disability and chronic diseases, and high subjective health in both women and men. Only in men it is as well associated with high heart rate variability, high forced vital capacity and high forced expiratory volume in one second. Performance of household activities might be regarded as an indicator of independence. We found non-performers to be characterized by high age, high socio-economic status, unfavorable reported health, and living with someone else, the latter only for men.Our findings suggest that physically inactive elderly are in general characterized by older age and a less favorable health. From this cross-sectional study it is not clear whether physical activity may positively affect health, or the reverse or whether both effects are present. Independence, represented by performance of household activities, probably is primarily influenced by health. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the direction of causal pathways. For reasons of maintaining health, well- being and independence, we recommend promotion of physical activity in old age. In addition we suggest to stimulate independence of men by training them in preparing cooked meals and doing other traditionally "female" housework.