Older Adults in Malaysia: Are They Being Physically Inactive?
Creators: name: Ying, Chan Ying
name: Kuay, Lim Kuang
name: Omar, Mohd Azahadi
name: Yusoff, Muhammad Fadhli Mohd
name: Sooryanarayana, Rajini
name: Razak, Mohamad Aznuddin Abd
name: Azli Baharudin@Shaharuddin
name: Nor'Ain Ab Wahab
name: Mahmud, Nur Azna
name: Ahmad, Noor Ani
name: Noran Naqiah Mohd Hairi
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Older Adults
Malaysia
Physically Active

description: <strong>Introduction </strong>Malaysia has an increasingly aging population and will be classified as an aging nation by the year 2030 when 14% of the population will be ≥60 years, and this will further increase to 24% by 2050. Older adults are generally less physically active than younger adults. Physical inactivity in older adults is related to increased risk of chronic diseases, disability and various poor health outcomes. Regular physical activity in older people is important to improve overall health and promote healthy aging. This study aims to determine the prevalence of physical inactivity and its associated factors among older adults aged ≥60 years in Malaysia. <strong>Methods </strong>Data on older adults aged ≥60 years (n=3977) were obtained from the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2018: Elderly Health, a population-based cross-sectional survey using a two-stage stratified sampling design. Physical inactivity levels were assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) via face-to-face interview. Participants were classified as physically inactive (&lt;600 MET minutes per week) and physically active (≥600 MET minutes per week) groups. Data were analysed by descriptive and logistic regression analyses with complex sampling design using SPSS version 22. <strong>Results </strong>Multivariable analysis showed that older age group (≥80 years, OR=2.23; 95% CI:1.42-3.48), of Bumiputera Sarawak ethnicity (OR=3.07; 95% CI: 2.19-4.28), unemployed/retirees/homemakers (OR=1.67; 95% CI:1.18-2.36), functional limitation (OR=1.75; 95% CI:1.31-2.34), diabetes mellitus (OR=1.39; 95% CI:1.11-1.74) and dementia (OR=1.64; 95% CI:1.21-2.21) were significantly associated with a higher risk of physical inactivity (Table 1). Women, with secondary education level and good social support were less likely to be physically inactive (Table 1). <strong>Discussion and Conclusion </strong>The prevalence of physical inactivity (29.8%) in this study is comparable to those reported in Singapore (29.0%, among age group 60-79 years), and is slightly higher than in China (24.1%, among age group ≥50 years) and India (22.0%, among age group ≥50 years). Prevalence of physical inactivity significantly increased as age increases. The current finding of women being more physically active than men is similar to findings from a study among the elderly population in Thailand. In Malaysian cultures, women in their late 50s and early 60s generally carry out more household chores, such as cooking, cleaning, sweeping and looking after grandchildren, which could be the reason for them being more physically active than men. Interventions that promote or maintain physical activity behaviour among older adults should be targeted to high-risk groups such as those with functional limitation, diabetes mellitus and dementia. Our findings suggested that a higher level of social support among older adults may be a key factor in motivating older people to participate in physical activity.<br>