Objective assessment of the association between frailty and sedentary behavior in older adults: a cross-sectional study

Wen Ning Chang, Pei Lin Tzeng, Wei Jia Huang, Yu Hung Lin, Kun Pei Lin, Chiung Jung Wen, Yi Chun Chou, Yung Liao, Ming Chun Hsueh, Ding Cheng Chan*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Given the inconsistent findings of the association between frailty and sedentary behavior in older adults, this cross-sectional study investigated the aforementioned association using four different frailty criteria and two sedentary behavior indices in older adults. Methods: Data from older adults (age ≥ 65 y) who participated in health examinations or attended outpatient integrated clinics at a medical center in Taipei, Taiwan, were collected. Frailty was measured using the modified Fried Frailty Phenotype (mFFP), Clinical Frailty Scale in Chinese Translation (CFS-C), Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) index, and Clinical Frailty-Deficit Count (CF-DC) index; sedentary behavior was assessed with a waist-worn accelerometer. Adjusted linear regression ascertained the association between frailty and both sedentary behavior outcomes. Results: Among the 214 participants (mean age 80.82 ± 7.14 y), 116 were women. The average total sedentary time and number of sedentary bouts were 609.74 ± 79.29 min and 5.51 ± 2.09 times per day, respectively. Frail participants had a longer total sedentary time (odds ratio [OR]: 30.13, P =.01 and 39.43, P <.001) and more sedentary bouts (OR: 3.50 and 5.86, both P <.001) on mFFP and CFS-C assessments, respectively. The SOF index revealed more sedentary bouts among frail than in robust participants (OR: 2.06, P =.009), without a significant difference in the total sedentary time. Frail participants defined by the CF-DC index were more likely to have frequent sedentary bouts (OR: 2.03, P =.016), but did not have a longer total sedentary time. Conclusions: Regardless of the frailty criteria adopted, frailty was positively associated with the number of sedentary bouts per day in older adults. A significant correlation between frailty and total sedentary time was detected only with mFFP and CFS-C indices. Further research may target decreasing the sedentary bouts in older adults as a strategy to improve frailty.

Original languageEnglish
Article number14
JournalEuropean Review of Aging and Physical Activity
Volume20
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023 Dec

Keywords

  • Accelerometer
  • Frailty
  • Older adults
  • Sedentary behavior

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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