Suchergebnisse

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to describe the association between sedentary time and social engagement among older adults living in megacities in India.


Design/methodology/approach
Data from a cross-sectional survey conducted in New Delhi and Chennai were used for analysis. In the total sample (n = 528), 65% of older adults self-reported engaging in high (≥180 min/day) volumes of sedentary time. There were no associations between sedentary time and social engagement in older females.


Findings
Among older males, those reporting high levels of communicating or visiting with family and friends had lower odds of reporting ≥ 180 min/day of sedentary time (OR: 0.51, CI: 0.27–0.98) compared to those reporting low levels of this type of social engagement. Older males reporting high levels of participating in a club (OR: 2.27, CI: 1.19–4.3) or participating in religious activities (OR: 1.97, 1.01–3.85) were approximately two times more likely to report ≥ 180 min/day sedentary time compared to those reporting low levels of these types of social engagement.


Originality/value
These data suggest that the type of social activity appears to significantly affect self-reported sedentary time among older males, but not females. These findings have implications for interventions aimed at improving active aging among older adults living in megacities in India.

With relatively few exceptions, the majority of evidence concerning the health benefits of physical activity (PA) has been gleaned from high-income countries (HICs). In the opening editorial to this special issue, the editors suggest that under-representation of lower and middle-income countries (LMICs, often referred to as 'Global South') in the PA literature is more than 'just another research gap'. Arguably, this gap reflects very real differences in context, competing health and developmental priorities, available resources and undoubtedly, political will.