http://seminars.ecehh.org Presentation for the ESRC Seminar Series on Ageing and Physical Activity - "Physical Activity Policy through the Life Course"

1. The Sitting Generation
Yu-Ling Chen, PhD
Physical Activity and Public Health
School of Sports, Exercise and Health Science
Photo Credit: The Ping Pong Film
ESRC Seminar
Physical Activity Policy Through the Life Course

2. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
A quick reflection
• There are 1440 minutes a day, how many
minutes do you spend on physical activity?
How many on sitting?

3. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Sitting for…

4. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Sedentary Behaviour
Definition
“any waking behaviour
characterized by a low energy
expenditure in a sitting or
reclining posture”
Sedentary Behaviour Research Network (SBRN)

5. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Energy expenditure HighLow
SB: Sedentary behaviour
PA: Physical Activity
Movement Continuum

6. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Too much prolonged sitting
Health Outcomes
Sitting requires little muscle input à risk of falls
It also relates to the risks for…
• mortality from all-causes
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD)
• Metabolic syndrome
Thorp,A.A. 2011; Ford and Caspersen, 2012
Independent of BMI and physical activity

7. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Measuring sitting/sedentary time
Self-report questionnaire
Objective measures
ActiGraphactivPAL

8. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Prevalence of Sedentary Behaviour
BHF, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY STATISTICS 2015
Adults reporting six or more hours of sedentary time on weekdays, by age
and gender, England 2012
Average: 8.2 to
11.2 hours per
day (60 years
old+)
Harvey et al, 2012

9. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
• Objective measurement (ActiGraph)
• Self-report questionnaire
• 6 month follow-up (2013/2014)
• Aged 65+
• Potential Correlates:
Basic demographics, physical health, functional
capacity, psychological health, health-related
behaviour
Correlates of Sedentary Behaviour in
Community Dwelling Older Adults
Green Gym
Horsham

10. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Results:
• N=44
• Total sedentary time
Total Sedentary Time (Minutes/day)
Baseline Follow-up
Objective
measure
1043 1027
Self-report 487 507
Correlates of Sedentary Behaviour in
Community Dwelling Older Adults

11. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Results:
Basic demographics gender, age, education, marital status,
household status
Physical health no. of medicine taken, chronic disease,
functional capacity, self-rate health
condition
Psychological health stress, depression, isolation, confusion,
life satisfaction
Health-related
behaviour
BMI, physical activity levels
Correlates of Sedentary Behaviour in
Older Adults in Transition

12. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Intervention to reduce sitting time
• Beware of the health
risks brought by prolong
sitting
• Break up sitting time
• Encourage light physical
activity and standing

13. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Active Ageing, Healthy Ageing-UK
Policy
6. All older adults
should minimise the
amount of time
spent being
sedentary (sitting)
for extended
periods.

14. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Active Ageing, Healthy Ageing-
WHO Europe Policy
WHO Europe Policy:
1. prevention of falls
2. promotion of physical activity
3. vaccination of older people and prevention of infectious disease in health-care
settings;
4. public support for informal care giving with a focus on home care, including self-
care;
5. building capacity in geriatrics and gerontology among the health and social care
workforce;
6. prevention of social isolation and social exclusion;
7. strategies to ensure the quality of care for older people, with a focus on dementia
care and palliative care for long-term patients;
8. prevention of elder maltreatment.
WHO Europe http://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/policy
Increasing physical activity level
Decreasing sedentary behaviour time

15. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Summary
• Prevalence of sedentary behaviour in
older adults is high
• More understandings of sedentary
behaviour in older adults is required
• Active ageing policy in reducing sedentary
behaviour/sitting time in more detail is
required

16. Yu-ling Chen Y.chen2@lboro.ac.uk
ESRC-Physical Activity Policy
Through the Life Course-The
Sedentary Generation 05/04/17
Questions?
Thank you!