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  • Essay / Physical Activity in Older Adults

    Physical activity is particularly important among older adults, as they can benefit greatly from increased activity levels. In adulthood, physical activity consistently shows a positive association with broader constructs, such as perceived quality of life and sense of well-being (Bize, Johnson, & Plotnikoff, 2007). However, approximately 3.2 million deaths per year are attributed to inactivity internationally (Taylor, 2014). According to the World Health Organization (2010), the five leading causes of death are high blood pressure, smoking, high blood sugar, physical activity and obesity. Physical inactivity can also contribute to high blood pressure, high blood sugar and obesity. Overall, higher levels of physical activity were also associated with a 7% lower total cancer risk (Moore et al., 2016). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Increasing physical activity has even been suggested as the most crucial intervention for improving the health of a population (Paterson et al., 2007). Yet even with these startling statistics, fewer than 20% of North Americans meet suggested guidelines for physical activity. On average, older people are even less physically active, being the most physically inactive among all age groups (Troiano et al. , 2008). As older people generally do not work, they spend most of their time in their neighborhood. Existing research has shown that physical environmental factors related to the built environment, such as neighborhood walkability, partly explain physical activity among older adults (Carlson et al. , 2012). Older adults may be particularly susceptible to influences from the built environment, as they often prefer shorter walking distances, desire safe pedestrian facilities, and have more free time to devote to amenities such as parks and health centers. community fitness. Sallis et al. (2006) created a framework that integrates four domains of active living (occupation, household, leisure, and transportation) and assert that the relationships between socio-ecological correlates and PA are domain specific. For older people, their main areas of active life would be housekeeping. and leisure activities, as well as a heavy dependence on transport if they are unable to drive. Yet, it appears that modifying the built environment can only benefit a community based on the social cognition of individuals within that community. Fleig et al. (2016) showed that, among a sample of older adults, the effects of walkability and physical activity were entirely mediated by perceptions of behavioral control. A possible solution to this problem could be a relationship between physical activity, the built environment and social networks. Physical activity interventions in older adults often focus on improving psychosocial skills, barriers, self-efficacy and social support (Kahn et al. , 2002). A community's walkability interacts with social support to explain total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among older adults. There is also a relationship between walkability, social support, self-efficacy and barriers in explaining walking as a means of transportation (Carlson et al. , 2012). Therefore, given that the relationship between the built environment, social cognition., 2016).