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OBJECTIVE MEASURES TO QUANTIFY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

OBJECTIVE MEASURES TO QUANTIFY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM FOR OLDER ADULTS

S. Phillips1, H. Tolstedt1, J. Steves1, T. Clarke1, S. Silbernagel1, D. Rosenberg2, T. Evans1, C. Papadopoulos1.

1Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA; 2Group Health Research Institute, Seattle, WA

Prior research has shown that less than 5% of older adults meet physical activity guidelines making them the least active age group. Furthermore, falls among adults >65 years are the leading cause of disability. Stay Active and Independent for Life (SAIL) is a public domain, evidence-based, group exercise program. SAIL focuses on building muscular strength and balance. These elements of fitness along with cardiovascular endurance and flexibility have been used to design a program that helps older adults to improve and/or maintain functionality so they remain safe, active and independent. However, it is unclear how much objectively measured activity is obtained through participation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to use accelerometers and behavioral observations to quantify the amounts, intensities, and types of activities performed. METHODS: Older adults (N=44) from local senior and community-based centers (age: 74.4 ± 11.8 yrs., height: 1.65 ± 0.1 m; weight: 72.7 ± 16.4 Kg; BMI: 26.6 ± 5.4 Kg/m2) who participated in SAIL classes wore an accelerometer around the waist above the right hip during class. Trained observers manually recorded the activity of the participants at 1-min intervals to classify minutes (mins.) spent in various physical activity types (aerobic, strength, etc.) during the 60-minute class. Furthermore, the amount of physical activity as measured by the accelerometer is presented as estimates of the total time spent in physical activity according to count thresholds. The intensity count threshold criteria used for this study were: Sedentary ≤ 100, Light-intensity 101-1952, Moderate-intensity 1953-5724, Vigorous-intensity ≥ 5725. RESULTS: According to behavioral observations, participants spent on average 38.8 ± 14.7 mins. standing, 19.3 ± 8.2 mins. in aerobic, 20.5 ± 5.3 mins. in strengthening, 11.5 ± 2.4 mins. in stretching, and 11.0 ± 6.4 mins. in balance activities. Accelerometer counts revealed a mean of 30.2 ± 7.7 mins. in sedentary time, 24.2 ± 5.2 mins. in light, and 4.9 ± 6.2 mins. in moderate intensity activities. The majority of the participants (91%) perceived the intensity as moderate. CONCLUSION: Behavioral observations indicate that the SAIL classes adhere to the specific times of the essential evidence-based components of the program. Even though approximately 20 minutes of the SAIL class time was classified as aerobic, very little of the activity met the moderate intensity threshold by accelerometer data. Further research is needed to determine if different count thresholds may capture the intensity of the SAIL class that matches the perception of the participants.

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