Physical activity in daily life is associated with lower adiposity values than doing weekly sports in Lc65+ cohort at baseline

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity prevalence is the highest at age 65–75 years in Lausanne (compared with younger classes). We aimed to describe 1) eating habits, daily physical activity (PA), and sports frequency in community-dwelling adults aged 65–70, 2) the links of these behaviors with socio-economic factors, and 3) with adiposity. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of Lc65+ cohort at baseline, including 1260 adults from the general population of Lausanne aged 65–70 years. Eating habits (8 items from MNA) and PA (sports frequency and daily PA: walking and using stairs) were assessed by questionnaires. Body mass index (BMI), supra-iliac (SISF), triceps skin-folds (TSF), waist circumference (WC), and WHR were measured. RESULTS: Prevalence of overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)), obesity (BMI ≥30.0 kg/m(2)), and abdominal obesity was 53%, 24%, and 45% in men; 35%, 23%, and 45% in women. Intake of fruits or vegetables (FV) ≥ twice/day was negatively associated with male sex (prevalence 81% versus 90%, chi-square P < 0.001). The proportion avoiding stairs in daily life was higher among women (25%) than among men (20%, chi-square P = 0.003). In multivariate analyses among both sexes, eating FV, using stairs in daily life (“stairs”), and doing sports ≥ once/week were significantly negatively associated with financial difficulties (stairs: OR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.40-0.72) and positively with educational level (stairs: OR = 1.68, 95% CI = 1.17-2.43 for high school). For all five log-transformed adiposity indicators in women, and for all indicators except SISF and TSF in men, a gradual decrease in adiposity was observed from category “no stairs, sports < once/week” (reference), to “no stairs, sports ≥ once/week”, to “stairs, sports < once/week”, and “stairs, sports ≥ once/week” (for example: WC in men, respectively: ß = −0.03, 95% CI = −0.07-0.02; ß = −0.06, 95% CI = −0.09- -0.03; ß = −0.10, 95% CI = −0.12- -0.07). CONCLUSIONS: In this population with high overweight and obesity prevalence, eating FV and PA were strongly negatively associated with financial difficulties and positively with education. Using stairs in daily life was more strongly negatively associated with adiposity than doing sports ≥ once/week.