title: Social participation among older adults not engaged in full- or part-time work is associated with more physical activity and less sedentary time.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Social participation provides health benefits for older adults. However, there is the need to identify whether higher social participation is associated with older adults being more physically active and less sedentary (sitting time). We examined the associations of social participation with physical activity, and sedentary time, in a population-based sample of older Japanese adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based, cross-sectional mail survey carried out in 2010 was used to collect data on social participation, physical activity, sedentary time and sociodemographic characteristics. Data were examined from 1146 community-dwelling, unemployed older adults (mean age 70.1 years, 43% men). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for associations of social participation with physical activity and total sedentary time; and, for associations with passive and mentally-active sedentary (sitting) time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For both men and women, those with higher social participation were more physically active (OR 2.10, 95% CI 1.44-3.06 among men; OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.39-2.68 among women). Total sedentary time had significant associations among men (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.42-0.90), but not among women (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.58-1.11). Social participation was associated with less passive sedentary time (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.38-0.81 for men; OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.51-0.99 for women).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Promoting social participation among older adults could contribute to increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary time, with potential benefits for chronic disease. Further research is required to elucidate the deleterious and beneficial roles of passive and mentally-active sedentary time for older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1921-1927.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0510-1030
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Noritoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takamiya
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Odagiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohya
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shiho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amagasa
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Epidemiology Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|School of Public Health, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.|Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.|School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Neville
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Owen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D008297:Male; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D058992:Social Participation; D013997:Time Factors; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: aged; cross-sectional studies; motor activity; sedentary lifestyle; social participation