The Effect of Season on Physical Activity Among Older Adults in King County, Washington
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Background:
Effective promotion of physical activity among older adults, and the evaluation of those efforts, requires a better understanding of the impact of seasonal patterns on physical activity.
Methods:
This article used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, a population-based telephone survey, to examine the association between levels of physical activity among older adults and season of the year, temperature, and rainfall.
Results:
A statistically significant seasonal pattern was identified for general physical activity; for example, recommended physical activity was 62% higher in relative terms in June than in December (63% active versus 39%). However, no significant association was found between season and walking, and rainfall and temperature did not appear to influence the level of activity over and above the effect of season.
Conclusions:
Evaluations of walking programs for seniors may not need to make adjustments for seasonality when measuring impact using pre/post surveys.
The author is with the Dept of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
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