Objectively assessed physical activity and lower limb function and prospective associations with mortality and newly diagnosed disease in UK older adults: an OPAL four-year follow-up study.
BACKGROUND
Objective measures of physical activity and function with a diverse cohort of UK adults in their 70s and 80s were used to investigate relative risk of all-cause mortality and diagnoses of new diseases over a 4-year period.


PARTICIPANTS
Two hundred and forty older adults were randomly recruited from 12 general practices in urban and suburban areas of a city in the United Kingdom. Follow-up included 213 of the baseline sample.


METHODS
Socio-demographic variables, height and weight, and self-reported diagnosed diseases were recorded at baseline. Seven-day accelerometry was used to assess total physical activity, moderate-to-vigorous activity and sedentary time. A log recorded trips from home. Lower limb function was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery. Medical records were accessed on average 50 months post baseline, when new diseases and deaths were recorded.


ANALYSES
ANOVAs were used to assess socio-demographic, physical activity and lower limb function group differences in diseases at baseline and new diseases during follow-up. Regression models were constructed to assess the prospective associations between physical activity and function with mortality and new disease.


RESULTS
For every 1,000 steps walked per day, the risk of mortality was 36% lower (hazard ratios 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-0.91, P=0.013). Low levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.67, 95% CI 1.04-2.68, P=0.030) and low frequency of trips from home (IRR 1.41, 95% CI 0.98-2.05, P=0.045) were associated with diagnoses of more new diseases.


CONCLUSION
Physical activity should be supported for adults in their 70s and 80s, as it is associated with reduced risk of mortality and new disease development.
['Fox|Kenneth R|KR|', 'Ku|Po-Wen|PW|', 'Hillsdon|Melvyn|M|', 'Davis|Mark G|MG|', 'Simmonds|Bethany A J|BA|', 'Thompson|Janice L|JL|', 'Stathi|Afroditi|A|', 'Gray|Selena F|SF|', 'Sharp|Deborah J|DJ|', 'Coulson|Joanne C|JC|']
D056044:Actigraphy D000367:Age Factors D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D000375:Aging D004194:Disease D004739:England D005080:Exercise Test D005260:Female D005500:Follow-Up Studies D015577:Geriatric Assessment D015438:Health Behavior D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006304:Health Status D006801:Humans D035002:Lower Extremity D008297:Male D009026:Mortality D009043:Motor Activity D011237:Predictive Value of Tests D011379:Prognosis D011446:Prospective Studies D018570:Risk Assessment D012307:Risk Factors D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior D057185:Sedentary Behavior D013997:Time Factors
physical activity mortality newly diagnosed disease older adults physical function