The study asked older people how they use their discretionary time and assessed
how two programs affected the time they spend being physically active.
The first group of subjects included 103 sedentary women and men age 65 and
older. For one year, each person received regular telephone calls from a health
educator who encouraged participation in a specially designed YMCA and home-based
exercise program.
The second group included 93 postmenopausal women who first met in person
with a health educator and then received regular telephone counseling for one
year. The women were counseled to set goals and engage in either an individualized
exercise program or an individualized nutrition education program that also
encouraged physical activity.
“Older adults in these studies participated in numerous social and recreational
activities. However, most activities were sedentary in nature,” note
the researchers, Rebecca E. Lee, Ph.D., of the University of Kansas School
of Medicine and Abby C. King, Ph.D., of the Stanford University School of
Medicine. Their findings are published in the April issue of the Annals
of Behavioral
Medicine.
As expected, the women and men differed in how they spent their discretionary
time. Women were more likely than men to do housework, volunteer and engage
in social activities such as playing cards and attending club meetings. Men
were more likely to watch TV, listen to the radio and do desk work.
During the 12-month study, the older adults increased the amount of time they
spent doing physical activities recommended by the intervention programs. The
amount of time spent on physical activities not targeted by the programs remained
unchanged, however.
The women in the second part of the study who enrolled in the exercise-focused
program were far more likely than those enrolled in the nutrition-focused program
to expand their physical activity.
“As the older adult population continues to grow in the United States
and worldwide, it will be important to expand choices that encourage more physical
activities and develop ways to link physical activities to popular sedentary
activities,” the researchers write.
For example, they suggest, older adults might be encouraged to walk while
talking with a friend or read while riding a stationary bicycle.
The authors report that approximately 40 percent of the U.S. population is
mostly sedentary and that many others do not do enough physical activity to
reap health benefits.
