Key result
Participation in golf during midlife strongly predicted continued sport and exercise participation 20 years later in old age (OR 6.6), and sampling multiple sports was optimal for preserving physical activity.
Why the study?
Few physical activity tracking studies have investigated how specific types of sport or exercise track across the life course and predict physical activity in men transitioning to old age.
Does participation in specific sports/exercises in midlife predict future sport/exercise and physical activity in old age in men?
Cohort (n=3,384)
Yes
Does participation in specific sports/exercises in midlife predict future sport/exercise and physical activity in old age in men?
Odds Ratio: 6.6 (95% CI 5.1–8.5)
p-value: p=<0.05
Participation in specific sports such as golf and bowls, or engaging in multiple sports during midlife, strongly predicts the maintenance of physical activity into old age.
May support promoting multi-sport midlife habits to sustain activity; leaves open causal effects and intervention trials.
BACKGROUND: Previous physical activity (PA) tracking studies have examined the stability of overall PA and/or PA types, but few have investigated how specific types of sport/exercise track over the life course. The aim of this study was to determine how specific sports/exercises in midlife track and predict future sport/exercise and PA in men transitioning to old age. METHODS: Seven thousand seven hundred thirty-five men (aged 40-59 years) recruited in 1978-80 were followed up after 12, 16 and 20 years. At each wave men self-reported participation in sport/exercise. Frequent sport/exercise participants (> 1/month) reported the types of sport/exercise they engaged in. Men also reported total PA, health status, lifestyle behaviours and socio-demographic characteristics. Stability of each sport/exercise was assessed using kappa statistics and intraclass correlation coefficients. Logistic regression estimated the odds of participating in sport/exercise and being active at 20-year follow up according to specific types of sport/exercise in midlife. RESULTS: Three thousand three hundred eighty-four men with complete data at all waves were included in analyses. Tracking of specific sports/exercises ranged from fair to substantial, with golf being the most common and most stable. Bowls was the most frequently adopted. Odds of participating in sport/exercise and being active in old age varied according to sport/exercise types in midlife. Golf and bowls in midlife were the strongest predictors of sport/exercise participation in old age. Golf, cricket and running/jogging in midlife were among the strongest predictors of being active in old age. Compared to participating in just one sport/exercise in midlife, sampling multiple sports/exercises was more strongly associated with sport/exercise participation and being active in old age. CONCLUSION: The stability of sport/exercise participation from midlife to old age varies by type. Specific sports/exercises in midlife may be more likely to predict future PA than others. However, participating in a range of sports/exercises may be optimal for preserving PA into old age.
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Aggio et al. (2018) conducted a cohort in Physical Activity / Aging (n=3,384). Participation in specific sports/exercises (e.g., golf) in midlife vs. Non-participation in the specific sport/exercise was evaluated on Participation in sport/exercise at 20-year follow-up (Golf vs non-participation) (OR 6.6, 95% CI 5.1-8.5, p=<0.05). Participation in golf during midlife strongly predicted continued sport and exercise participation 20 years later in old age (OR 6.6), and sampling multiple sports was optimal for preserving physical activity.
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