Physical Activity in Older People: A Systematic Review

Physical activity in older people is important in the prevention of disease, maintenance of independence and improvement of quality of life. This literature search comprises of results from 53 papers, of which the percentage of older adults meeting recommended physical activity ranges from 2.4 - 83.0%. Furthermore, the definitions of recommended activity levels differed, as did approaches to measurement. It breaks down physical activity into four categories - leisure time, occupational, household and transportation, and highlights the need for representative random samples of participants and consistency in definitions and measurement of physical activity in older people.