Exercise and the onset of disability in later life.
OBJECTIVE
This study was to examine whether overall physical activity levels, and different types of earlier sporting activities, are associated with the onset of locomotor disability in early older age.


METHODS
A longitudinal analysis of a general population cohort of British men and women born in the early 1930s was conducted.


RESULTS
Measures of overall activity levels at age 58 did not show a relationship with locomotor disability 5-6 years later. Swimming was the only sporting activity to show any strong evidence of a protective association with later locomotor disability.


CONCLUSIONS
The promotion of swimming in adulthood could play a role in the prevention of locomotor disability and aid people's ability to follow active living health promotion guidelines in late mid-life and early old-age.
Hunt
Kate
K
MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, 4 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow, Scotland G12 8RZ, United Kingdom. Kate@sphsu.mrc.ac.uk
Adamson
Joy
J
Ebrahim
Shah
S
Mutrie
Nanette
N
D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology