Time trends in leisure time physical activity and physical fitness in the elderly: Five-year follow-up of the Spanish National Health Survey (2006-2011)

Objectives: To estimate the trends in the practice of leisure time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1 h, during the years 2006-2011, in elderly Spanish people. Study design: Observational study, retrospective analysis of Spanish National Health Surveys. We analysed data collected from the Spanish National Health Surveys conducted in 2006 (n = 30,072) and 2011 (n = 21,007), through self-reported information. The number of subjects aged >= 65 years included in the current study was n = 5756 in 2006 (19.14%) and n = 4617 in 2011 (21.97%). We included responses from adults aged 65 years and older. Outcome measures: The main variables included leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1 h. We analysed socio-demographic characteristics, individuals' self-rated health status, lifestyle habits, co-morbid conditions and disability using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: The total number of subjects was 10,373 (6076 women, 4297 men). The probability of selfreported capacity was significantly higher in 2006 than in 2011 for leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1 h for both sexes (women: OR 2.20, 95%IC 1.91-5.55; OR 2.50, 95%IC 1.99-3.14; OR 1.04, 95%IC 1.01-1.07; men: OR 2.20, 95%IC 1.91-2.55; OR 2.01, 95%IC 1.40-2.89; OR 1.05, 95%IC 1.0-1.1) respectively. Both sexes were associated with a significantly lower probability of performing leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1 h. Additionally, those over 80 years of age, on average, showed a poor or very poor perception of their health and presented with some type of disability. Conclusion: A decrease in the proportion of respondents who self-reported undertaking leisure-time physical activity, walking up 10 steps, and walking for 1 h was observed in the Spanish population of over 65 years between 2006 and 2011. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.