Physical Activity and Physical Function in Older Adults: The 45 and <scp>U</scp>p <scp>S</scp>tudy

<jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives</jats:title><jats:p>To determine the strength of the relationship between physical activity and physical function in older adults.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design</jats:title><jats:p>Cross‐sectional.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Setting</jats:title><jats:p>The 45 and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">U</jats:styled-content>p <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>tudy baseline questionnaire, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">N</jats:styled-content>ew <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>outh <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">W</jats:styled-content>ales, <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">A</jats:styled-content>ustralia.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Participants</jats:title><jats:p>Ninety‐one thousand three hundred seventy‐five <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">A</jats:styled-content>ustralian men and women aged 65 and older from the 45 and <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">U</jats:styled-content>p <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>tudy.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Measurements</jats:title><jats:p>Physical activity engagement (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">A</jats:styled-content>ctive <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">A</jats:styled-content>ustralia <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>urvey), physical function (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">M</jats:styled-content>edical <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">O</jats:styled-content>utcomes <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">S</jats:styled-content>tudy <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">P</jats:styled-content>hysical <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">F</jats:styled-content>unctioning), psychological distress (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">K</jats:styled-content>essler‐10), and self‐reported age, smoking history, education, height, and weight were all measured.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Higher levels of physical activity were associated with better physical function in older adults (correlation coefficient = 0.166, <jats:italic>P</jats:italic> < .001). Participants engaging in higher levels of physical activity had progressively lower likelihoods of functional limitation (middle tertile: odds ratio (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content>) = 0.39, 95% confidence interval (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content>) = 0.38–0.41; highest tertile: <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> = 0.28, 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> = 0.27–0.29). This relationship remained significant, but weakened slightly, when adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, smoking history, psychological distress, and educational attainment (middle tertile: adjusted <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">OR</jats:styled-content> (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AOR</jats:styled-content>) = 0.48, 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> = 0.46–0.50; highest tertile: <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">AOR</jats:styled-content> = 0.36, 95% <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">CI</jats:styled-content> = 0.34–0.37).</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>There is a significant, positive relationship between physical activity and physical function in older adults, with older adults who are more physically active being less likely to experience functional limitation than their more‐sedentary counterparts. Level of engagement in physical activity is an important predictor of physical function in older adults.</jats:p></jats:sec>