Davison R C Richard, Cowan Daryl T
Centre for Culture Sport and Events, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom.
Sport and Physical Activity Research Institute, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, United Kingdom.
Front Sports Act Living. 2023 Sep 26;5:1213924. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2023.1213924. eCollection 2023.
As sport and physical activity are vital to support extended health spans, this study aimed to analyse the current trends in sports participation and physical activity rates among individuals aged 65 years and older in Scotland. Data were compared with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidelines and analysed the influence of key factors on participation rates.
The study used data from the Scottish Health Survey and the Scottish Household Survey (2019) to investigate self-reported participation in physical activity and sports across different age groups. Descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations were used to analyse the relationships between participation rates and influencing factors. Participation data for Parkrun events in Scotland were also analysed for the years 2008-2018.
The study found a clear decline in sports participation with age, with a steep decline after the age of 65, particularly in women. The majority of participation among individuals aged 65+ was in walking, with a sport participation rate of only 31.2% when walking was excluded. Physical activity and sport participation was lower in women across all age ranges but particularly so in the 75+ age group. The most popular sporting activities in the older age group were keep fit/aerobics, swimming and golf. Additionally, the study found that social deprivation had a major impact on sports participation rates, with the most deprived households exhibiting the lowest participation levels irrespective of age. The prevalence of loneliness was lower among individuals who participated in sports or adhered to the CMO guidelines for moderate/vigorous physical activity and strength-building exercises.
The findings of this study have implications for promoting physical activity and sports participation among older adults, particularly in deprived communities. This study highlights the importance of balance exercises within sport and the need for more targeted efforts to increase participation rates among older adults. The study also emphasizes the positive impact of sports participation on reducing loneliness among older adults. Overall, the findings suggest the need for ongoing efforts to promote physical activity and sports participation among older adults to improve their overall health and well-being.
由于运动和体育活动对于延长健康寿命至关重要，本研究旨在分析苏格兰65岁及以上人群的体育参与和身体活动率的当前趋势。将数据与首席医疗官（CMO）指南进行比较，并分析关键因素对参与率的影响。
该研究使用了苏格兰健康调查和苏格兰家庭调查（2019年）的数据，以调查不同年龄组自我报告的身体活动和体育参与情况。描述性统计和交叉列表用于分析参与率与影响因素之间的关系。还分析了2008 - 2018年苏格兰公园跑活动的参与数据。
研究发现，体育参与率随年龄增长明显下降，65岁以后急剧下降，女性尤其如此。65岁及以上人群的大部分参与活动是步行，排除步行后体育参与率仅为31.2%。所有年龄范围的女性身体活动和体育参与率都较低，75岁及以上年龄组尤其如此。老年组最受欢迎的体育活动是健身/有氧运动、游泳和高尔夫。此外，研究发现社会剥夺对体育参与率有重大影响，最贫困家庭的参与水平最低，无论年龄如何。参与体育活动或遵守CMO关于适度/剧烈身体活动和力量锻炼指南的个体中，孤独感的患病率较低。
本研究的结果对促进老年人，特别是贫困社区老年人的身体活动和体育参与具有启示意义。这项研究强调了体育活动中平衡练习的重要性，以及需要采取更有针对性的努力来提高老年人的参与率。该研究还强调了体育参与对减少老年人孤独感的积极影响。总体而言，研究结果表明需要持续努力促进老年人的身体活动和体育参与，以改善他们的整体健康和福祉。
