Background: Physical activity can improve function and decrease healthcare spending among overweight and obese older adults. Although unstructured physical activity has been related to cardiometabolic improvements, the relationship between unstructured activity and movement quality is unclear.
Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the association of amount of unstructured free-living moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with measures of movement quality in overweight and obese older adults.
Methods: The association of MVPA with movement quality was assessed in 165 overweight and obese older adults (Age: 77.0(8.0) years; Body mass index (BMI): 29.2(5.3) kg/m2). Participants performed overground walking, the Figure of 8 Walk test, and the Five-Times Sit to Stand. Weekly physical activity was measured using a waist-worn Actigraph activity monitor.
Results: Movement quality during straight path (gait speed (ρ = 0.30, p < 0.01), stride length (ρ = 0.33, p < 0.01), double-limb support time (ρ=-0.26, p < 0.01), and gait symmetry (ρ = 0.17, p = 0.02)) and curved path (F8W time (ρ=-0.22, p < 0.01) and steps (ρ=-0.22, p < 0.01)) walking were associated with weekly minutes of MVPA after controlling for age. Five-Times Sit to Stand performance was not significantly associated with weekly minutes of MVPA (ρ=-0.10, p = 0.13).
Conclusions: Older adults with high BMIs who are less active also demonstrate poorer movement quality which should be targeted in interventions to promote healthy aging, decrease falls, and delay disability development. Future work should explore if these associations are observed in middle-aged adults so targeted interventions can be implemented even earlier in the disability development continuum.
Keywords: aging; biomechanics; body composition; functional mobility; physical activity.