Is Complexity of Daily Activity Associated with Physical Function and Life-Space Mobility among Older Adults?

Purpose Information about mobility and physical function may be encoded in the complexity of daily activity pattern. Therefore, daily activity pattern complexity metrics could provide novel insight into the relationship between daily activity behavior and health. The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between the complexity of daily activity behavior and the mobility and physical function among community-dwelling older adults 75, 80, and 85 yr of age. Methods A total of 309 participants wore accelerometers concurrently on the thigh and the trunk for at least three consecutive days. Five activity states (lying, sitting, standing, walking, or activity other than walking) were defined in three different temporal grains (5 s, 1 min, and 5 min), and Lempel–Ziv complexity was evaluated. We assessed complexity of daily activity behavior using the life-space mobility and physical function with distance in preferred pace 6-min walk and the Short Physical Performance Battery. Results Weak positive associations were observed between the complexity of daily activity and the mobility and physical function at the finest temporal grains in both sexes (Spearman rho = 0.19 to 0.27, P
Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - Category: Sports Medicine Tags: APPLIED SCIENCE Source Type: research