title: Predictors of physical inactivity among elderly malaysians: recommendations for policy planning.
abstract: Physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Regular moderate-intensity physical activity has significant benefits for health. To determine the socioeconomic predictors of physical inactivity among elderly Malaysian population. A nationwide community-based survey was conducted among 4831 respondents aged ≥60 years with a face-to-face questionnaire. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the elderly was 88.0%, highest in respondents aged older than 80 years (95.4%), females (90.1%), other Bumiputra (92.2%), earning household income less than RM1000 (87.9%), and residing in urban locality (88.4%). In the multivariate model, the predictors of physical inactivity were only sex, ethnicity, locality, and age group (adjusted odds ratio = 1.3-3.6). The predictors of physical inactivity can identify the risk factors to develop policies that will reduce the public health burden of noncommunicable diseases.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Bangsar, Malaysia jasvindar@moh.gov.my.
authors.forename: Jasvindar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Bangsar, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Gurpreet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaur
authors.affiliation: Klinik Kapar, Klang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Bee Kiau
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Weng Keong
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Ministry of Health, Putrajaya, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Mohmad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salleh
authors.affiliation: Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health, Bangsar, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kuang Hock
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011050:Policy Making; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: cross-sectional survey; exercise; older persons; sociodemography