Physical Activity Levels in Brazilian Elders with Metabolic Syndrome
Author Information
Author(s): Dalacorte Roberta R, Reichert César L, Vieira José L
Primary Institution: Pontifical Catholic University, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
Hypothesis
Are elderly people in the community who have been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome engaged in the same level of physical activity as those without such a diagnosis?
Conclusion
Elderly citizens with metabolic syndrome in a southern Brazilian community have similar levels of physical activity as those without the condition.
Supporting Evidence
- 64% of women and 44% of men in the study had metabolic syndrome.
- High blood pressure was the most frequent finding, affecting 84% of the total sample.
- The odds of having metabolic syndrome were similar across all physical activity categories.
Takeaway
This study found that older people with metabolic syndrome are just as active as those without it, which is surprising because we usually think that unhealthy people are less active.
Methodology
A cross-sectional population-based study evaluating physical activity levels and metabolic syndrome diagnosis among 362 elderly participants.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias due to the low participation rate of men and reliance on self-reported physical activity levels.
Limitations
The study had a low participation rate, especially among men, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
Participants were community-dwelling elders aged 60 to 79 years, with a mean age of 68 years, consisting of 246 women and 116 men.
Statistical Information
P-Value
1.04 (95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7) for sufficiently active; 1.15 (95% CI, 0.7 to 2.0) for very active.
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 0.6 to 1.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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