Sedentary Lifestyle, Increased Waist Size, and Aging: Key Factors Linked to Lower Physical Fitness in Adults Aged 50 to 64
A comprehensive study involving more than 5,000 individuals has shed light on the significant association between sedentary behaviour, larger waist circumferences, and older age with decreased physical fitness levels among adults aged 50 to 64. This investigation into the detailed correlations reveals considerable disparities in fitness levels.
Physical fitness is crucial for sports performance and plays a significant role in the endurance needed for daily activities and maintaining an active lifestyle. Prior research has consistently demonstrated a strong link between optimal fitness levels and various health outcomes, including a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The study published in BMJ Open engaged 5,308 participants within the 50–64 age bracket, with a slight majority (51%) of women. It focused on how maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), a key fitness indicator, differs across demographic segments.
This research considered a range of factors, including sociodemographic attributes (such as age, gender, and education level), lifestyle choices, self-reported health status, body metrics, disease incidence, and levels of physical activity and sedentariness, as measured by accelerometers.
Notably, Uneven Fitness Levels Across Populations
Participants underwent a cycling fitness assessment while wearing an accelerometer to record a week’s worth of data on the frequency, duration, and intensity of their physical activity, encompassing daily movements and any specific exercise sessions.
Mats Börjesson, a Professor of Sports Physiology at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, and the study’s lead author, highlighted identifying demographic groups most at risk for low fitness levels. These groups include older individuals, those born outside of the country, individuals with lower education levels, those with larger waist circumferences, individuals reporting poor health, and people leading predominantly sedentary lifestyles with minimal engagement in vigorous physical activity, including those relying on cars or public transport for commuting.
For men, financial difficulties and a history of tobacco use were additional factors linked to reduced fitness, pointing to a skewed distribution of fitness levels across the population.
Identifying those with lower fitness levels is crucial for targeting fitness improvement initiatives or preventive health measures. Previously, such insights were often derived from smaller or more homogeneous study populations.
Invaluable Insights for Healthcare and Further Research
Elin Ekblom Bak, a research fellow in sports science at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH) and the study’s corresponding author, emphasized its novelty in examining the relationship between physical activity and sedentary behaviour, as measured by an accelerometer, with fitness levels. The study independently linked sedentary lifestyles and high-intensity physical activity with lower and higher fitness levels. This research provides valuable insights for healthcare providers, future studies, and public health initiatives.
The findings are based on the Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study (SCAPIS), supported primarily by the Swedish Heart Lung Foundation. This study is a pivotal contribution to understanding how lifestyle factors influence physical fitness, offering a foundation for targeted health interventions and enhancing the general well-being of the middle-aged and older populations.
More information: Mats Börjesson University of Gothenburg, Elin Ekblom Bak
The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, Correlates of cardiorespiratory fitness in a population-based sample of middle-aged adults: cross-sectional analyses in the SCAPIS study, BMJ Open. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066336
Journal information: BMJ Open Provided by University of Gothenburg
