2019/07/02 by Rajni Rai, Michelle I. Jongenelis, Ben Jackson +2
Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Environmental health #Gerontology #Health benefits #Health disparities and outcomes #Health promotion #Medicine #Nursing #Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet #Physical Activity and Health #Physical activity #Physical therapy #Political science #Population #Population ageing #Promotion (chess) #Psychological intervention #Psychology #Public health
paper · doi:10.1017/s0144686x1900076x
crossref issued 2019/07/02 · crossref published 2019/07/02 · crossref published-online 2019/07/02 · openalex publication_date 2019/07/02 · crossref created 2019/07/02 · crossref deposited 2020/11/11 · crossref published-print 2020/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · crossref indexed 2026/08/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
Abstract Despite the well-documented health benefits of physical activity in older adults, participation levels remain low. With rapid global population ageing, intensive efforts are needed to encourage higher levels of participation to ameliorate the negative effects of physical inactivity for older individuals and society as a whole. The aim of this qualitative study was to inform future physical activity promotion interventions by examining factors contributing to low activity levels among older people undertaking less than half the recommended level of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 102 (65% female) community-dwelling Western Australians aged 60+ years (mean = 71.52, standard deviation = 6.26) who engaged in ⩽75 minutes of MVPA per week as measured by accelerometers. Several modifiable and unmodifiable barriers were identified, of which poor health featured most prominently. Lifetime physical inactivity, caring duties, low motivation, misperceptions of physical activity and ageing, and a lack of affordable and attractive options were the other barriers identified. The results suggest that strategies are needed to raise awareness of current physical activity guidelines, normalise engagement in MVPA throughout the lifespan, develop initiatives to motivate participation, improve the availability of affordable physical activity programmes that are attractive to this population segment, and facilitate participation among those with intensive caring responsibilities.