Sample characteristics
A total of 696 older adults were included in the current study. Socio-demographic, sedentary behavior and health-related characteristics of the sample are presented in Table 1 and in Additional File 3 (broken down by study sample). Briefly, participants had a mean age of 74.2 (SD = 6.2) years, ranging from 65.0 to 98.8 years. The majority of the participants had a partner, and children. About one third of the participants had a high educational level (i.e. college or university degree). Both in men and in women, highest levels of sedentary behavior were found for watching television, having meals, and reading. In women, mean BMI was 23.9 (SD = 4.9) kg/m2 and in men 25.4 (SD = 4.1) kg/m2. In total, 37.6% of the included women were overweight or obese, and 53.0% of the included men.
Table 1: Sample characteristics
|
Total (n = 696)
|
Men (n = 323)
|
Women (n = 373)
|
Significance of difference
|
Socio-demographic characteristics
|
|
|
|
|
Age: years, mean (SD)
|
74.2 (6.2)
|
73.7 (5.8)
|
74.6 (6.5)
|
T=1.86, p=0.07a
|
Family situation
% having a partner
% having children
|
67.4%
88.5%
|
81.1%
88.2%
|
55.5%
88.7%
|
Ꭓ2=51.12, p<0.001b
Ꭓ2=0.04, p=0.83b
|
Educational level
% with college/university degree
|
33.2%
|
36.4%
|
30.4%
|
Ꭓ2=2.88, p=0.09b
|
Sedentary behaviors
|
|
|
|
|
Television time: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
180.0 (90.0-240.0)
|
180.0 (90.0-240.0)
|
180.0 (90.0-240.0)
|
Z=-1.01, p=0.31c
|
Computer time: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
2.6 (0 – 60.0)
|
25.7 (0 – 90.0)
|
0 (0 – 34.3)
|
Z=-5.36, p<0.001c
|
Transport-related sitting time: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
22.5 (8.6 – 38.6)
|
25.7 (11.8 – 46.1)
|
21.4 (8.6 – 37.3)
|
Z=-2.82, p=0.01c
|
Sitting for reading: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
57.9 (28.9 – 90.0)
|
60.0 (30.0 – 90.0)
|
45.0 (22.5 – 90.0)
|
Z=-2.34, p=0.02c
|
Sitting for hobbies: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
5.4 (0 – 45)
|
0.0 (0 – 32.1)
|
16.1 (0 – 51.4)
|
Z=-3.88,p<0.001c
|
Sitting for socializing: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
30.0 (8.6 – 60.0)
|
30.0 (8.6 – 64.3)
|
30.0 (8.6 – 60.0)
|
Z=-0.50, p=0.62c
|
Sitting for meals: min/day, median (Q1-Q3)
|
90 (60.0 – 90.0)
|
90.0 (60.0 – 90.0)
|
90 (90 – 90)
|
Z=-0.71, p=0.48c
|
Health-related outcomes
|
|
|
|
|
Body mass index: kg/m2, mean (SD)
|
24.3 (4.6)
|
25.4 (4.1)
|
23.9 (4.9)
|
T=-4.17, p<0.001a
|
Waist circumference: cm, mean (SD)
|
95.6 (13.0)
|
101.1 (11.0)
|
90.9 (12.8)
|
T=-10.91, p<0.001a
|
Grip strength: kg, mean (SD)
|
28.3 (10.8)
|
36.0 (9.9)
|
21.6 (6.1)
|
T=-21.79, p<0.001a
|
Physical health-related QOL: mean (SD)
|
47.6 (9.1)
|
48.8 (8.5)
|
46.6 (9.5)
|
T=-3.09, p=0.002a
|
Mental health-related QOL score: mean (SD)
|
49.1 (8.5)
|
50.0 (7.5)
|
48.2 (9.3)
|
T=-2.82, p=0.01a
|
SD = standard deviation; Q1 – Q3 = quartile 1 – quartile 3. The physical and mental health-related QOL were calculated with the scoring protocol of the SF12. Scores below 50 represent scores below the average in the population, whereas scores above 50 represent scores above the average in the population.a = Independent Samples T-test, b = Chi-square test, c =Mann-Whitney U-test
Gender-specific typologies of older adults’ sedentary behavior
Based on the sample-size adjusted Bayesian Information Criterium, the parametric Bootstrapped Likelihood Ratio Test, the Entropy and the class sizes, the 5-class model was selected as the optimal latent profile analysis solution for men (see Table 2).
Table 2: Model fit parameters for the two-, three-, four-, and five-class solution in men
Men: television time, computer time, transport-related sitting time, sitting for reading, sitting for hobbies, sitting for socializing and sitting for meals
|
|
Fit statistics
|
Profile Membership Distribution
|
|
SABIC
|
BLRT
|
Entropy
|
Profile 1
|
Profile 2
|
Profile 3
|
Profile 4
|
Profile 5
|
Two-profile
|
23377.451
|
P<0.001
|
0.96
|
0.11
|
0.89
|
|
|
|
Three-profile
|
23245.837
|
P<0.001
|
0.94
|
0.11
|
0.78
|
0.11
|
|
|
Four-profile
|
23227.428
|
P<0.001
|
0.87
|
0.58
|
0.10
|
0.21
|
0.11
|
|
Five-profile
|
23219.869
|
P<0.001
|
0.83
|
0.22
|
0.45
|
0.14
|
0.11
|
0.9
|
SABIC = sample-size adjusted Bayesian Information Criterium, BLRT = the parametric Bootstrapped Likelihood Ratio Test
The typologies for men are presented in Table 3 and Figure 1. The first typology – named ‘high transport sitting’ – included 22.0% of the participants. The second typology ‘low sitting’ comprised almost half of the participants (44.6%). The third typology ‘high social sitting’ included 13.6% of the participants, and the fourth typology ‘high hobbies sitting’ included 11.1% of the participants. The smallest proportion of participants (8.7%) belongs to the fifth typology – termed ‘high computer and transport sitting’. All types of sedentary behavior differed between typologies, except sitting for reading. Significant differences are indicated in Table 3. Results of the pairwise comparisons are included in Additional File 4.
Table 3: Older men's sedentary behavior by typology
|
Typology 1 (22.0%) – high transport sitting
|
Typology 2 (44.6%) – low sitting
|
Typology 3 (13.6%) – high social sitting
|
Typology 4 (11.1%) – high hobbies sitting
|
Typology 5 (8.7%) – high computer and transport sitting
|
Significance of difference^
|
TV time (min/day)
|
147.15 (91.69)c,d
|
177.63 (98.70)
|
213.24 (96.06)a
|
211.90 (112.01)a
|
148.74 (88.71)
|
F=4.92, p=0.001
|
Computer time (min/day)
|
53.98 (53.52)c,e
|
35.72 (47.21)e
|
21.47 (42.36)a,d,e
|
55.22 (74.29)c,e
|
269.08 (45.51)a,b,c,d
|
F=129.54, p<0.001
|
Transport-related sitting time (min/day)
|
54.26 (7.77)b,c,d,e
|
19.57 (11.31)a,c,e
|
12.45 (10.24)a,b,d,e
|
22.42 (17.58)a,c,e
|
43.89 (19.87)a,b,c,d
|
F=127.62, p<0.001
|
Sitting for reading (min/day)
|
65.92 (43.64)
|
58.65 (44.60)
|
76.30 (48.05)
|
78.39 (42.96)
|
67.42 (48.44)
|
F=2.22, p=0.067
|
Sitting for hobbies (min/day)
|
13.61 (60.95)d
|
11.31 (17.86)d
|
8.23 (15.71)d
|
110.73 (30.12)a,b,c,e
|
9.95 (19.11)d
|
F=196.16, p<0.001
|
Sitting for socializing (min/day)
|
48.86 (33.66)b,c
|
18.73 (17.86) a,c,d,e
|
89.63 (13.30) a,b,d,e
|
42.79 (39.06)b,c
|
44.89 (32.11)b,c
|
F=66.98, p<0.001
|
Sitting for meals (min/day)
|
92.61 (32.88)b
|
75.13 (31.24)a
|
87.89 (29.79)
|
81.53 (32.60)
|
79.64 (36.49)
|
F=4.01, p=0.003
|
Total sitting time (min/day)
|
479.39 (131.49)b,d,e
|
396.75 (123.44)a,c,d,e
|
509.21 (124.43)b,d,e
|
602.98 (168.91)a,b,c
|
663.61 (123.56)a,b,c
|
F=36.64, p<0.001
|
^ Results of multivariate analysis of variance. Superscript letters and bold p-values represent significant differences between typologies. a significantly different from typology 1, b = significantly different from typology 2; c = significantly different from typology 3; d = significantly different from typology 4; e = significantly different from typology 5.
The 3-class model was selected as the optimal latent profile analysis solution for women (see Table 4).
Table 4: Model fit parameters for the two-, three-, four-, and five-class solution in women
Women: : television time, transport-related sitting time, sitting for reading, sitting for hobbies, sitting for socializing and sitting for meals
|
|
Fit statistics
|
Profile Membership Distribution
|
|
SABIC
|
BLRT
|
Entropy
|
Profile 1
|
Profile 2
|
Profile 3
|
Profile 4
|
Profile 5
|
Two-profile
|
26587.681
|
P<0.001
|
0.98
|
0.92
|
0.08
|
|
|
|
Three-profile
|
26524.772
|
P<0.001
|
0.88
|
0.69
|
0.08
|
0.24
|
|
|
Four-profile
|
26378.155
|
P<0.001
|
0.94
|
0.13
|
0.73
|
0.10
|
0.04
|
|
Five-profile
|
26383.319
|
P<0.001
|
0.89
|
0.15
|
0.62
|
0.15
|
0.06
|
0.02
|
SABIC = sample-size adjusted Bayesian Information Criterium, BLRT = the parametric Bootstrapped Likelihood Ratio Test
The typologies for women are presented in Table 5 and Figure 2. The first typology ‘low sitting’ represents the largest cluster with 63.5% of the participants. Typology 2 ‘high hobbies sitting’ is the smallest cluster with 10.7% of the participants. Typology 3 – named ‘high transport sitting’ comprises 25.7% of the participants. All types of sedentary behavior differed between typologies, except sitting for reading and sitting for meals. Significant differences are indicated in Table 5. Results of the pairwise comparisons are included in Additional File 4.
Table 5: Older women's sedentary behavior by typology
|
Typology 1 (63.5%) – low sitting
|
Typology 2 (10.7%) – high hobbies sitting
|
Typology 3 (25.7%) – high transport sitting
|
Significance of difference^
|
TV time (min/day)
|
191.8 (101.45)c
|
222.6 (105.7)c
|
154.7 (95.1)a,b
|
F=7.72, p=0.001
|
Transport-related sitting time (min/day)
|
15.0 (10.0)c
|
16.2 (11.5)c
|
50.4 (9.5)a,b
|
F=438.16, p<0.001
|
Sitting for reading (min/day)
|
57.2 (44.3)
|
59.5 (52.5)
|
60.4 (42.6)
|
F=0.20, p=0.823
|
Sitting for hobbies (min/day)
|
17.8 (21.9)b
|
126.0 (32.5)a,c
|
24.8 (29.9)b
|
F=314.21,
p<0.001
|
Sitting for socializing (min/day)
|
34.0 (31.9)
|
46.7 (39.1)
|
43.1 (31.7)
|
F=4.36,
P=0.013
|
Sitting for meals (min/day)
|
80.1 (31.8)
|
82.2 (39.9)
|
80.0 (29.4)
|
F=0.08, p=0.923
|
Total sitting time (min/day)
|
395.84 (122.67)b
|
553.29 (135.34)a,c
|
413.33 (112.84)b
|
F=28.73, p<0.001
|
^ Results of multivariate analysis of variance. Superscript letters and bold p-values represent significant differences between typologies. a significantly different from typology 1, b = significantly different from typology 2; c = significantly different from typology 3; d = significantly different from typology 4; e = significantly different from typology 5.
Differences in health-related outcomes and socio-demographic characteristics between typologies in men
No overall significant differences in health-related outcomes were found between the five identified typologies in men (see Table 6). However, pairwise comparisons showed that men that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 4) had a significant lower score on physical health-related QOL than men that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 1) (p=0.01). Borderline significant differences were found in BMI, grip strength, and mental health-related QOL between typologies. Concretely, men that are highly engaged in sedentary social activities (i.e. typology 3) had a higher BMI than men characterized by relatively low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 2) (p=0.08). Men that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 1) and men that are highly engaged in motorized transport and computer use (i.e. typology 5) had a higher grip strength than men that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 4) (both p=0.06). They had also a higher score on mental health-related QOL than men characterized by relatively low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 2) (respectively, p=0.08 and p=0.09). Detailed results of the pairwise comparisons are included in Additional File 5.
Two overall significant differences in socio-demographic characteristics were found between the five identified typologies in men (see Table 6); specifically for age and educational level. Men that are highly engaged in sedentary social activities (i.e. typology 3) were more likely to be older, and men that are highly engaged in motorized transport and computer use (i.e. typology 5) were more likely to be younger. Men characterized by relatively low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 2), and men that are highly engaged in sedentary social activities (i.e. typology 3) were more likely to have completed college or university, and men that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies were more likely to have not completed college or university.
Table 6: Differences in health-related outcomes and socio-demographic characteristics by typology (men)
|
Typology 1 (22.0%) – high transport sitting
|
Typology 2 (44.6%) – low sitting
|
Typology 3 (13.6%) – high social sitting
|
Typology 4 (11.1%) – high hobbies sitting
|
Typology 5 (8.7%) – high computer and transport sitting
|
Significance of difference^
|
Health-related outcomes
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BMI (kg/m2)
|
25.2 (4.0)
|
25.0 (4.2)c
|
26.3 (4.5)b
|
26.0 (4.4)
|
25.3 (3.3)
|
F=1.10, p=0.358
|
Waist circumference (cm)
|
100.7 (10.4)
|
100.9 (11.1)
|
102.0 (11.2)
|
100.3 (12.1)
|
102.7 (11.4)
|
F=0.25, p=0.909
|
Grip strength (kg)
|
38.6 (9.4)d
|
35.8 (10.2)
|
33.5 (10.4)
|
33.8 (7.9)a,e
|
40.4 (9.3)d
|
F=1.52, p=0.196
|
Physical health-related QOL
|
51.2 (8.2)d
|
48.8 (8.4)
|
48.2 (8.0)
|
46.0 (8.3)a
|
48.9 (9.9)
|
F=1.80, p=0.129
|
Mental health-related QOL
|
51.2 (8.3)b
|
48.9 (7.9)a,e
|
50.0 (6.3)
|
50.8 (4.8)
|
52.1 (7.5)b
|
F=1.30, p=0.270
|
Socio-demographic characteristics
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Age: years, mean (SD)
|
72.5 (5.2)c
|
74.3 (6.3)e
|
76.1 (5.5)a,e
|
73.8 (5.3)
|
70.4 (3.8)b,c
|
F=5.33, p<0.001
|
Family situation
% having a partner
% having children
|
87.3%
91.5%
|
79.2%
84.7%
|
74.4%
83.7%
|
75.0%
91.7%
|
92.9%
100.0%
|
Ꭓ2=6.78, p=0.15
Ꭓ2=7.43, p=0.12
|
Educational level
% with college/university degree
|
14.1%
|
10.6%
|
7.1%
|
27.8%
|
17.9%
|
Ꭓ2=15.69, p=0.04
|
^ Results of multivariate analysis of (co)variance (adjusted for age), and chi-square tests. Superscript letters and bold p-values represent (borderline) significant differences between typologies. a significantly different from typology 1, b = significantly different from typology 2; c = significantly different from typology 3; d = significantly different from typology 4; e = significantly different from typology 5.
Differences in health-related outcomes and socio-demographic characteristics between typologies in women
A (borderline) significant difference was found in BMI, waist circumference and physical health-related QOL between the identified typologies in women (see Table 7). Pairwise comparison showed that women that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 2) had a significantly higher BMI than women characterized by low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 1) (p=0.002) and women that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 3) (p=0.01). Women that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 2) also had a higher waist circumference than women characterized by low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 1) (p=0.02). Women that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 3) scored significantly higher on physical health-related QOL compared to women characterized by low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 1) (p=0.04) and women that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 2) (p=0.02). Pairwise comparisons also showed a borderline significant difference in grip strength, and mental health-related QOL. Specifically, women that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 3) had a higher grip strength than women characterized by low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 1) (p=0.07) and women that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 2) (p=0.09); they had also a higher score on mental health-related QOL than women that are highly engaged in sedentary hobbies (i.e. typology 2) (p=0.09).
With regard to socio-demographic characteristics, an overall significant differences was found in age between the three identified typologies in women (see Table 7); specifically women characterized by low levels of overall sedentary behavior (i.e. typology 1) were more likely to be older than women that are highly engaged in motorized transport (i.e. typology 3) (p=0.02).
Table 7: Differences in health-related outcomes by typology (women)
|
Typology 1 (63.5%) – low sitting
|
Typology 2 (10.7%) – high hobbies sitting
|
Typology 3 (25.7%) – high transport sitting
|
Significance of difference^
|
Health-related outcomes
|
|
|
|
|
BMI (kg/m2)
|
23.5 (5.1)b
|
26.3 (4.0)a,c
|
23.4 (4.3)b
|
F=5.22, p=0.006
|
Waist circumference (cm)
|
89.9 (12.7)b
|
95.3 (14.5)a
|
90.5 (12.2)
|
F=2.71, p=0.068
|
Grip strength (kg)
|
21.3 (6.2)c
|
20.7 (4.4)c
|
23.4 (6.3)a,b
|
F=2.15, p=0.118
|
Physical health-related QOL
|
46.1 (9.9)c
|
44.1 (8.3)c
|
49.3 (8.3)a,b
|
F=3.54, p=0.030
|
Mental health-related QOL
|
48.0 (9.5)
|
46.2 (8.9)c
|
49.1 (8.7)b
|
F=1.50, p=0.225
|
Socio-demographic characteristics
|
|
|
|
|
Age: years, mean (SD)
|
75.1 (6.7)c
|
75.1 (6.1)
|
73.1 (5.9)a
|
F=3.67, p=0.027
|
Family situation
% having a partner
% having children
|
55.9%
89.9%
|
51.3%
89.7%
|
56.2%
85.4%
|
Ꭓ2=0.32, p=0.85
Ꭓ2=1.40, p=0.50
|
Educational level
% with college/university degree
|
22.9%
|
11.4%
|
16.5%
|
Ꭓ2=3.48, p=0.18
|
^ Results of multivariate analysis of (co)variance (adjusted for age), and chi-square tests. Superscript letters and bold p-values represent (borderline) significant differences between typologies. a significantly different from typology 1, b = significantly different from typology 2; c = significantly different from typology 3.