Physical Health Promotion in Older Women: Physical Activity Recommendations Based on Patterns and Combinations

Objective: To explore the associations between different patterns and combinations of physical activity(PA), sedentary behavior(SB) and physical health in older women, so as to provide physical health promotion suggestions for them. Methods: PA and SB were assessed by triaxial accelerometer and were classified as moderate-intensity PA(MVPA), light-intensity PA(LPA),sporadic PA(PA bout lasts<10 minutes), bouted PA(PA bout lasts≥10 minutes), 30 min-bouted SB(SB bout lasts≥30 minutes)and 60 min-bouted SB(SB bout lasts≥60 minutes). In addition, different combinations of PA and SB were classified as low MVPA with high SB, low MVPA with low SB, high MVPA with high SB and high MVPA with low SB according to MVPA and SB volume per day. The assessment of physical health was based on Standards Handbook of National Measurement of Physical Health for Older Adult. All participants were classified as qualified group or not qualified group(total physical health points≥15 or<15).Multivariate-adjusted binary logistic regression was used to examine the associations of different patterns and combinations of PA and SB with physical health. Restricted cubic spline was conducted to investigate the non-linear relationships between MVPA and physical health. Results: A total of 1124 older women were enrolled in the final data analysis. After the adjustment of several confounders, it was shown that 1) total MVPA, sporadic MVPA, total LPA, sporadic LPA and bouted LPA were significantly associated with higher physical health level(P<0.05), total SB and 30 min-bouted SB were significantly associated with lower physical health level(P<0.05); 2) the combinations of high MVPA with high SB, high MVPA with low SB were both significantly related to higher physical health level; 3) daily total MVPA time and low physical health level of older women showed a non-linear relationship with an approximate L-shaped curve. Conclusions: There was a significant “dose-response” associations of PA, SB with physical health in older women. Regardless of intensity, physical health benefits can be gained by engaging in a certain amount of PA. MVPA is high-efficiency in promoting physical health in older women, and engaging in 30 minutes of MVPA per day is most effective to achieve physical health benefits. Older women are suggested to avoid prolonged SB, health benefits can be gained by engaging in a certain amount of MVPA regardless of the duration of SB.