Hier eine interssante Studie aus dem „Journal of the American Geriatric Society“.

„Physical Activity and Physical Function in Older Adults: The 45 and Up Study.“

Die Autoren sind Lisa C. Yorston BAppSc (Hons), Gregory S. Kolt PhD*, & Richard R. Rosenkranz PhD.

[begin abstract]

Objectives
To determine the strength of the relationship between physical
activity and physical function in older adults.

Design
Cross-sectional.

Setting
The 45 and Up Study baseline questionnaire, New South Wales, Australia.

Participants
Ninety-one thousand three hundred seventy-five Australian men and
women aged 65 and older from the 45 and Up Study.

Measurements
Physical activity engagement (Active Australia Survey), physical
function (Medical Outcomes Study Physical Functioning), psychological
distress (Kessler-10), and self-reported age, smoking history,
education, height, and weight were all measured.

Results
Higher levels of physical activity were associated with better
physical function in older adults (correlation coefficient = 0.166, P
< .001). Participants engaging in higher levels of physical activity
had progressively lower likelihoods of functional limitation (middle
tertile: odds ratio (OR) = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) =
0.38-0.41; highest tertile: OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.27-0.29). This
relationship remained significant, but weakened slightly, when
adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, psychological
distress, and educational attainment (middle tertile: adjusted OR
(AOR) = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.46-0.50; highest tertile: AOR = 0.36, 95% CI
= 0.34-0.37).

Conclusion
There is a significant, positive relationship between physical
activity and physical function in older adults, with older adults who
are more physically active being less likely to experience functional
limitation than their more-sedentary counterparts. Level of engagement
in physical activity is an important predictor of physical function in
older adults.

[end abstract]

Hier der Link zum Artikel:  http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1532-5415.2012.03906.x/full