Higher levels of physical activity is associated with better walking ability and fall-related fitness of older adults during COVID-19 in China

Abstract

This study analyzed the relationship of physical activity levels with walking ability and fall-related fitness in older adults in the Henan Provence, China. Physical activity levels of 288 older adults were assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were divided into low (LPAG, n = 81), moderate (MPAG, n = 106), and high physical activity groups (HPAG, n = 101). The 10-m walking test (10MWT), 3-m backward walking (3MBW), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used to evaluate walking ability. Thirty seconds Sit to Stand Test (30SST), Time up and Go Test (TUGT), and figure-of-8 walk test (8WT) were evaluated for fall-related fitness. One-way ANOVA was used to detect between group differences, whilst Pearson’s correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between total physical activity level and the measured variables. Logistic regression analyses were used to compute the odds ratios (ORs) of LPAG and MPAG relative to HPAG. There were significant differences between the groups for walking ability, 10MWT (p < 0.01), 3MBW, and BBS (p < 0.01), and also for variables of fall-related fitness, TUGT (p < 0.01), and 8WT (p < 0.01). Total physical activity levels had significant correlations with all variables except 30SST. In the walking ability, OR for 10MWT was 2.42 and 2.53 times for the LPAG compared to that for HPAG by model 1 and model 2. OR for BBS was 3.24 and 3.54 times for the LPAG and 9.31 and 9.65 times for the MPAG compared to for the HPAG by model 1 and model 2. In the fall-related fitness, OR for 8WT was 14.09 and 16.76 times for the LPAG compared to that for HPAG. High levels of physical activity are positively correlated with good walking ability and fall-related fitness. Increasing physical activity levels can reduce the risks associated with impaired walking ability and fall-related fitness.