Assessment of the correlations between the level of physical activity and sociodemographic factors, functional capabilities and cognitive capabilities of elderly persons from south-eastern Poland

Normal aging, which is accompanied by insidious progressive changes, is a natural, irreversible and long-lasting process which affects every human [1,2]. The aging process begins at the age of 20-25 [2], while according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the age of 60 marks the beginning of old age [1]. Currently, life expectancy is increasing [3]. This increase is caused, among other things, by improvements in quality of life [4] and the advancements in medicine [3].

In 2017, the inhabitants of the European Union aged 65 or more constituted 19% of the population, while it is estimated that the percentage of individuals aged 80 or more will have doubled and reached the level of 13% of the population by 2080 [5]. In Poland in 2017, the number of inhabitants aged 65 or more increased by 217 000 and reached 6.5 million, which constitute 17% of the general population [6]. Recent data show that there is a 50% chance that by 2030, life expectancy among women will exceed 90 years of age, which seemed unattainable at the turn of the 20^th century [7].

The development of chronic diseases which often occur with aging may limit the functioning of the elderly. The more chronic diseases are diagnosed in a particular person, the higher the disability level [8]. Health status deterioration, which results in disability, leads to the elderly individuals’ early inability to work and loss of independence [9]. People with decreased psychophysical capabilities are also less likely to participate in social life [2]. Gębska et al. demonstrated that the life of elderly individuals is highly dependent on the surroundings in which they live. These researchers concluded that elderly people who actively participate in social activities demonstrated an improved psychophysical state [10]

Currently there is a growing interest in the correlation between physical activity and the health status of elderly individuals [11]. Regardless of age, insufficient physical activity constitutes one of the most problematic issues of contemporary society [12]. It is estimated that worldwide, approximately 3.2 million people a year die because of the lack of adequate physical activity [13]. In many populations, it is physical activity that is one of the most influential positive health indicators [14]. Therefore, elderly individuals should engage in physical activity, since it directly affects their health and quality of life. It is well understood that physical activity positively influences mental processes, which reduces the occurrence of depression and anxiety [15].

According to WHO recommendations, individuals over 65 should engage in moderate aerobic physical activity for at least 150 minutes a week or high-intensity physical activity for at least 75 minutes a week [16]. However, as data published in 2018 show, as many as 71% of the individuals over 55 from the European Union did not perform the recommended high-intensity physical activity, while 56% did not perform moderate physical activity [17].

This study sought to assess the correlations between the level of physical activity and sociodemographic factors, functional capabilities and cognitive capabilities of elderly persons from south-eastern Poland.

The study included 76 individuals aged over 60 who actively participated in social life (Senior Clubs, Country Housewives’ Clubs, Folk groups) in south-eastern Poland. The study inclusion criteria were as follows: aged over 60 years, written informed consent to participate in the study, club membership, no depression (0-5 points in GDS) or moderate depression (6-10 in GDS), no cognitive impairment (27-30 points in MMSE), cognitive impairment without dementia (24-26 points in MMSE) or mild cognitive impairment (19-23 points in MMSE). The exclusion criteria were as follows: serious systemic diseases.

Participants signed a written consent to participate in the study and received information regarding its aims and protocols. The Bioethical Commission of the University of Rzeszow approved the study design.

The research was carried out from March 2017 to April 2018. Data was gathered within one day in a specially prepared room. In order to assess physical activity, psychophysical state and cognitive capabilities, the following tests and clinical scales were used:

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  International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ): the short version includes 7 questions regarding different intensity levels of physical activity. On the basis of the obtained results, the study participant was assigned to one of the following activity levels: high (at least 1500 MET minutes a week), moderate (600-1500 MET minutes a week), low (below 600 MET minutes a week) [14,18].

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  Tinetti POMA test: used to assess balance and risk of falls. The following scoring rules were applied: 26-28 points – no risk of falls, 19-25 points – moderate risk of falls, ≤ 18 points – 5 times higher risk of falls compared to individuals with a positive result [19].

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  Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) and the modified Timed Up and Go Cognitive Test version (TUG cog): were used to assess balance and risk of falls. The following scoring rules were applied: a score above 13.5 seconds in the TUG and above 15 seconds in the TUG cog indicated an increased risk of falls [20,21].

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  10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT): was used to assess walking speed. The study participants’ task was to walk for 10 meters in the shortest time possible. The result was measured in seconds [22].

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  Handgrip strength test: assessed with a Jamar hand dynamometer. According to the procedure, the study participants were asked to maintain a maximal-strength grip for 6 seconds. The participants were sitting in the following position: feet supported on the floor, arms unsupported held close to the trunk, elbow bent at 90 degrees, forearm in an intermediate position, wrist between 0 and 30 degrees. The test was performed 3 times for each hand with an interval to avoid fatigue. The result (mean from the three measurements) was presented in kilograms [23].

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  Functional Chair Stand Test (FS Test): was used to determine muscle strength of lower limbs. In this test, the participant was asked to perform the highest possible number of complete stands from a sitting position within 30 seconds. One trial was registered [24].

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  15-point Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS): was used to obtain subjective assessment of the senior participants’ satisfaction with their quality of life as well as their mood and happiness. The result above 5 points indicated mild depression. In turn, the result above 10 points meant the presence of severe depression [25,26].

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  Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE): was to assess cognitive functions. The results were interpreted in the following manner: 27-30 points

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  no cognitive impairment, 24-26 points – mild cognitive impairment, 19-23 points – moderate cognitive impairment, 11-18 points – average cognitive impairment, 0-10 points – severe impairment [27].

Statistical analyses were performed using, Statistica software version 13.1. Arithmetic means and standard deviations were calculated to describe the distribution of numerical values. Pearson correlation coefficient was applied in order to determine the level of linear correlation between random data. The following scale regarding the strength of the correlation for |r| was adopted:

<0.2 – no linear correlation

0.2–0.4 – weak correlation

0.4-0.7 – moderate correlation

0.7–0.9 – quite strong correlation

>0.9 – very strong correlation.

Moreover, Mann-Whitney test, whose aim is to compare two independent groups, was applied. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

The study was conducted on a group of elderly individuals aged 60 to 89, including 56 women (73.7%) and 20 men (26.3%). Mean age of the study participants was 71.4 ± 7.3. Characteristics of the examined individuals and their functional and cognitive capabilities are presented in tables 1 and 2.

Considering physical activity, statistically significant differences (marked in red) were revealed between three variables; gender, marital status and the number of fractures (Tab. 3). Men demonstrated significantly higher levels of physical activity than women (p=0.001). Also, individuals who reported that they were in a relationship had a higher level of physical activity than single individuals (p=0.02). Considering the number of fractures experienced by the elderly participants, it was noted that their lack meant a higher level of physical activity, while having fractures in the past correlated with reduced levels of physical activity (p=0.02).

The data demonstrated that physical activity correlated with psychophysical and cognitive capabilities of elderly individuals (Table 4). A correlation was found between the result obtained in the IPAQ and 10MWT, FS Test, left handgrip test and MMSE scale. It was noted that the higher the level of physical activity, the shorter the time needed to cover the distance of 10 meters (|r|=-0.23), the greater the muscle strength of lower limbs and left handgrip (|r|=0.32 and 0.26, respectively) and the smaller the impairments in the cognitive sphere (|r|=0.29).

Typically the level of physical activity decreases with age, which is often related to losses of functional capabilities [28]. As a result of economic and social changes which occur in the world, the so-called sedentary lifestyle is becoming a common phenomenon. It leads to numerous disorders and diseases. Currently, physical activity itself is also the subject of research by health psychologists [29]. Regular physical activity is indispensable in the process of healthy ageing, since it helps to reduce functional limitations and disabilities among elderly individuals [30].

In our research, it was observed that 77.6% of the of the participants engaged in at least moderate levels of physical activity. In the study group, men demonstrated significantly higher levels of physical activity than women (p=0.001). Skotnicka and Pieszko, who examined 105 women and 93 men over 80 years of age, also reported that men had higher levels of physical activity [31]. Daniel Puciato et al. examined 2053 individuals (987 women and 1066 men) aged 30 to 65. In this study group, it was also men who followed the recommendations regarding physical activity to a larger extent [32]. In turn, the research by Krzepota et al. revealed different results. The authors examined 72 individuals (14 men and 58 women) who were students of the University of the Third Age. A high or moderate level of physical activity was noted in 59.3% of the study participants. However, the researchers did not find statistically significant differences between men and women [18].

This study showed that individuals being in a relationship as well as those who did not experience any bone fractures demonstrated significantly higher levels of physical activity than single persons and seniors who had fractures in the past (p=0.02). In addition, no statistically significant correlation was found between the level of education and the level of physical activity. This was not the case in a study by Puciato et al. where a correlation between physical activity and education was observed. These researchers aimed to determine the correlations between physical activity and socio-economic or professional factors among adults from Katowice. The researchers noted that the lower the level of education, the higher the level of physical activity [32]. Such a correlation may stem from the fact that individuals with a higher level of education are more engaged in leisure time physical activity, while persons with a lower level of education are usually more physically active in their work [33].

In the study group, persons demonstrating higher levels of physical activity had stronger lower limbs and were able to perform more repetitions of chair stand in 30 seconds (|r|=0.32). In their research on 1288 individuals over 60 years of age, Milanović et al. also revealed a correlation between physical activity and chair stand test (p<0.001) [28].

Our own research with the use of a dynamometer revealed that together with an increase in the level of physical activity, left handgrip strength also grew (|r|=0.26). According to Hwang et al., a higher level of physical activity correlated significantly with a lower risk of weak grip of a dominating hand after the age of 65 [34].

A significant correlation was also noted in the case of 10MWT. A shorter time of walking this distance correlated with higher physical activity. The above correlation, considering the aforementioned parameters, has not been examined in elderly individuals so far. Therefore, it is not possible to compare our findings with the results of other authors.

Our study revealed that worse results obtained in MMSE correlated with a lower level of physical activity. The research confirmed that performing regular physical activity exerted a significant influence on cognitive capabilities of elderly individuals. Similar results were obtained by Albuquerquea et al., who examined a group of 149 elderly people and noted that low physical activity correlated with the occurrence of cognitive impairments among elderly individuals, which considerably affected their quality of life [35].

Both in our own study and in the study by Pet-Ming Leung et al., no correlations between decreased physical activity and increased depression were noted [36]. Different results were obtained by Reichert et al., who proved that a higher level of physical activity correlated with a lower frequency of occurrence of depression symptoms. The analysis that considered the division into groups according to sex revealed that this correlation was noted only in the group of men. Simultaneously, it was indicated that men who were very active were less prone (by as much as 68%) to depression compared to the group of men who were insufficiently active [37].

A relatively low number of study participants was a limitation of our study. Moreover, in order to diversify the group, the study should be extended to the whole area of Poland.

The research confirmed that there exists a correlation between physical activity and sociodemographic factors, psychophysical capacity and cognitive capabilities of seniors actively participating in social life. A higher level of physical activity correlated significantly with a higher level of lower limb muscle strength and left handgrip strength, shorter time of walking the distance of 10 meters and a higher level of cognitive capabilities. Therefore, it is important to promote an active lifestyle among elderly individuals and draw attention to its positive influence on everyday life.