Physical Activity Behaviour in Middle-Aged and Older Canadian Women and Men: An Analysis of the CLSA

Background Increasing physical activity (PA) levels can decrease the burden of non-communicable diseases and improve functional ability in aging populations. Understanding current patterns in PA behaviours is essential for developing effective interventions. This study aimed to describe the usual PA by type of activity and amount in middle-aged and older Canadians.

A descriptive cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging was completed. Subgroup analyses were used to explore PA behaviour, by age and sex, socioeconomic variables, region and season. In addition, we estimated quintiles based on the amount of total PA completed in Canadians 45-85 years. Means and frequencies were reported using inflation weights.

The 47,840 participants represented our target population of 12,365,513 Canadians 45-85 years old. The mean PASE score was 151 (SD 79.11) with 65% of Canadians 45-85 years completing at least 150-minutes of moderate-vigorous PA a week. Amount of PA and the proportion of Canadians meeting the recommendation decreased for females, and with increasing age, lower income, and less education. Additionally, those with the lowest PA levels were more likely to report limitations in mobility and activities of daily living and had a higher prevalence of some chronic conditions (diabetes, musculoskeletal, and vision).

Physical activity behaviour among middle-aged and older Canadians varies based on several characteristics. Targeted interventions and promotion efforts are warranted, particularly for older females and those with lower income and education. Further investigation to determine directionality is needed. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funding Statement Access to CLSA data was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research through a CLSA catalyst grant (funding reference # 187253). MKB is supported by a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Mobility, Aging and Chronic Disease; LEG is supported by the McLaughlin Foundation Professorship in Population and Public Health Author Declarations I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained. Yes The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below: Research ethics approval for this secondary analysis was obtained from the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board (application #7342). I confirm that all necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived, and that any patient/participant/sample identifiers included were not known to anyone (e.g., hospital staff, patients or participants themselves) outside the research group so cannot be used to identify individuals. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines, such as any relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material, if applicable. Yes DATA AVAILABILITY Data are available from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (www.clsa-elcv.ca) for researchers who meet the criteria for access to de-identified CLSA data.