Three-Year Changes in Physical Activity and Decline in Physical Performance Over 9 Years of Follow-Up in Older Adults: The Invecchiare in Chianti Study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between cumulative physical activity (PA) and its changes over 3 years and changes over 9 years of follow-up in physical performance in older adults.

DESIGN: Longitudinal.

SETTING: Community-based.

PARTICIPANTS: Men and women aged 65 and older from the Invecchiare in Chianti study (N = 782).

MEASUREMENTS: Physical performance was assessed at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-year follow-up using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). PA was assessed through an interviewer-administered questionnaire at baseline and 3-year follow-up. Analyses were adjusted for education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake, coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, cancer, lung disease, lower extremity osteoarthritis, depression, and Mini-Mental State Examination.

RESULTS: Over 3 years of follow-up, 27.8% of participants were inactive, 52.2% were minimally active, and 20.0% were active, and the PA of 37.2% decreased, there was no change in PA of 50.1% and the PA of 12.7% increased. After adjustment for potential covariates, being mostly active (-1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.43 to -0.73) and minimally active (-1.33, 95% CI = -1.53 to -1.12) over 3 years of follow-up was associated with less decline in SPPB score than being mostly inactive (-2.60, 95% CI = -2.92 to -2.27). When analyzing changes, increasing PA (-0.57, 95% CI = -1.01 to -0.12) was associated with less decline in SPPB score over 9 years than decreasing PA (-2.16, 95% CI = -2.42 to -1.89).

CONCLUSION: Maintaining or increasing PA levels may attenuate age-associated physical performance decline.