A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Cambridge, involving nearly 1,500 adults, has revealed a strong correlation between reduced physical activity among individuals aged sixty and above and a decline in their overall quality of life.
The findings also indicate that an increase in sedentary behaviors, such as watching television or reading, is similarly associated with diminished quality of life. These results underscore the importance of promoting and encouraging older adults to maintain an active lifestyle.
Staying active
Engaging in physical activity, particularly of moderate intensity that raises one’s heart rate, is well-known for its ability to mitigate the risk of various diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
In light of this, the National Health Service (NHS) recommends that adults aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week. Older adults are advised to intersperse prolonged periods of inactivity with light activity whenever feasible or at the very least, opt for standing, as this has discernible health benefits for the elderly population.
The study scrutinized activity levels among 1,433 participants aged sixty and above, utilizing accelerometers to measure their physical activity. These participants had been enrolled in the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer)-Norfolk study.
The study revealed that individuals who engaged in more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and spent less time in sedentary pursuits during the initial assessment enjoyed higher quality-of-life scores later on. An increase of one hour per day in active engagement corresponded to a 0.02 increase in the quality of life score.
Staying active
Moreover, for each minute per day of reduced moderate-to-vigorous physical activity measured six years after the initial assessment, the quality of life scores decreased by 0.03. In practical terms, an individual who engaged in 15 minutes less physical activity per day would have witnessed a decline of 0.45 in their quality of life score.
Similarly, an increase in sedentary behaviors was associated with a decrease in quality of life, with a reduction of 0.012 in the score for every additional minute per day spent in sedentary activities six years after the initial measurement. Consequently, an individual who spent an extra 15 minutes per day sitting down would have experienced a decline of 0.18 in their quality of life score.
To provide a clinical context for these findings, it is worth noting that a 0.1 point improvement in quality-of-life scores has previously been linked to a 6.9% decrease in premature mortality and a 4.2% reduction in the risk of hospitalization.
“Keeping yourself active and limiting – and where you can, breaking up – the amount of time you spend sitting down is really important whatever stage of life you’re at,” the researchers conclude. “This seems to be particularly important in later life, when it can lead to potentially significant improvements to your quality of life and your physical and mental wellbeing.”
