Vol. 10, No 4, Special Issue, 2012 pp. 289 - 296
UDC 796: _ 055.2
Original research article

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF ELDERLY WOMEN IN TERMS OF AGE
Saša Pantelić1, Nebojša Ranđelović1, Zoran Milanović1, Nebojša Trajković1, Goran Sporiš2, Radmila Kostić1
1University of Niš, Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, Niš, Serbia
2University of Zagreb, Faculty of Kinesiology, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract. The aim of this study was to analyze an age-related decline in the physical activity level of older women. The research was conducted on a sample of 694 female participants (mean age 69.23±7.81 years, body mass 69.74±12.44 kg, body height 165.17±23.12cm, BMI 69.74±12.44 kg/m2- Mean±SD). For the age-group comparisons we subdivided the sample into young-old group (354 participants aged 60-69 years) and old-old group (340 participants aged 70-80 years). In this research, the long form of the IPAQ questionnaire for self-evaluation was used containing four types of Physical Activity: work-related, transportation, housework/gardening and leisure-time activities. The three levels of physical activity suggested for classifying the populations are low, moderate, and high. The results show that moderate physical activity is dominant and accounts for almost half the energy consumed regardless of one’s age category. If we consider the type of physical activity, the results indicate that there is a significant difference (p<0.05) between young-old and old-old participants in the Total walking MET and Total vigorous MET. Among elderly women, the value of MET in total physical activity, as well as in moderate and vigorous activity, significantly reduces. Our research has shown that, overall, the young-old group is more physically active than the old-old group.
Key words:  IPAQ questionnaire, older adult, female, aging, physical activity

FIZIČKA AKTIVNOST STARIJIH ŽENA U ODNOSU NA NJIHOVU STAROSNO DOBA
Cilj ovog rada bio je da se analizira starosno-povezano opadanje fizičke aktivnosti kod starijih žena. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na uzorku od 694 učesnica (prosečne starosti 69.23±7.81 godina, telesne mase 69.74±12.44 kg, telesne visine 165.17±23.12cm, BMI 69.74±12.44 kg/m2- Sred.vred.±SD). Za poređenja grupa po starosti, uzorak ispitanica je podeljen na sub-uzorak mlađe-starije grupe (354 ispitanica starosti 60-69 godina) i stare-starije grupe (340 ispitanica starosti 70-80 godina). U ovom istraživanju je korišćen IPAQ upitnik za samoevaluaciju koji je sadržao četiri tipa fizičke aktivnosti: vezanu za posao, transport, kućne poslove/vrtarstvo i dokolicu. Tri nivoa fizičke aktivnosti preporučene za klasifikaciju populacije su: nizak, umeren i visok. Rezultati ukazuju da je umeren nivo fizičke aktivnosti dominantan i da mu se pripisuje gotovo polovina utrošene energije bez obzira na starosnu kategoriju. Ukoliko se uzme u obzir tip fizičke aktivnosti, rezultati ukazuju da postoji statistički značajna razlika (p<0.05) između mlađe-starije i stare-starije grupe ispitanika u varijablama Total walking MET i Total vigorous MET. Među starijim ženama vrednost MET in total physical activity, kao i umerena i visoka aktivnost značajno opada. Naše istraživanje je ukazalo da, sveukupno, mlađe-starija grupa jeste fizički aktivnija u odnosu na i stare-stariju grupu ispitanika.
Ključne reči: IPAQ upitnik, stariji odrasli, žene, starenje, fizička aktivnost