Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity
ObjectiveThe aging population is thriving worldwide, and it is critical to improve the health of older adults through physical activity (PA). Although the Internet can promote PA in older adults, limited studies have used objective tools to measure it. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association b...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1537309/full |
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| author | Yen-Yu Chung Jiaren Chen Mei-Chun Lin Ruo-Lan Liu Jenn-Bang Wu Hsin-Chang Tsai Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Yung Liao Yung Liao Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park |
| author_facet | Yen-Yu Chung Jiaren Chen Mei-Chun Lin Ruo-Lan Liu Jenn-Bang Wu Hsin-Chang Tsai Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Yung Liao Yung Liao Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park |
| author_sort | Yen-Yu Chung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ObjectiveThe aging population is thriving worldwide, and it is critical to improve the health of older adults through physical activity (PA). Although the Internet can promote PA in older adults, limited studies have used objective tools to measure it. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between the frequency of Internet use and PA levels in older adults.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, we employed convenience sampling. The participants were 172 adults aged 65 and older without cognitive impairment who could walk independently. We measured PA using a triaxial accelerometer, step counts, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). We measured Internet use via a self-report questionnaire, separated by frequency of use into high, moderate, and low or no use. We performed a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple logistic regression to examine the relationship between Internet use and PA.ResultsWe included a total of 172 older adults (72.0 ± 5.5 years; 78.5% female). The group that used the Internet with moderate frequency exhibited higher daily step counts than the group that used the Internet with low frequency or not at all (moderate frequency: 7,888 steps > low frequency or no use: 6,070.6 steps). Compared to the group that used the Internet at a moderate frequency, older adults with a low frequency or those who did not use the Internet were less likely to meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding PA [odds ratio (OR): 0.242; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.077–0.751].ConclusionOlder adults with a low frequency of Internet use or those who did not use the Internet (i.e., those who used the Internet less than once a week or not at all, respectively) were less likely to meet the WHO’s recommended levels for PA than older adults who used the Internet with moderate frequency. The findings of this study can inform efforts to reduce age-related health risks and promote strategies for encouraging PA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f8a976a8f7bc4b5294edf8d204406744 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-f8a976a8f7bc4b5294edf8d2044067442025-02-12T07:26:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652025-02-011310.3389/fpubh.2025.15373091537309Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activityYen-Yu Chung0Jiaren Chen1Mei-Chun Lin2Ruo-Lan Liu3Jenn-Bang Wu4Hsin-Chang Tsai5Ting-Fu Lai6Ting-Fu Lai7Yung Liao8Yung Liao9Jong-Hwan Park10Jong-Hwan Park11Jong-Hwan Park12Graduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanDepartment of Civic Education and Leadership, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanHolistic Education Center, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanHolistic Education Center, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanHealth Convergence Medicine Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of KoreaGraduate Institute of Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Management, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TaiwanFaculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, JapanDepartment of Convergence Medicine, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Clinical Bio-Convergence, Graduate School of Convergence in Biomedical Science, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Republic of KoreaConvergence Medical Institute of Technology, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, Republic of KoreaObjectiveThe aging population is thriving worldwide, and it is critical to improve the health of older adults through physical activity (PA). Although the Internet can promote PA in older adults, limited studies have used objective tools to measure it. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between the frequency of Internet use and PA levels in older adults.MethodsFor this cross-sectional study, we employed convenience sampling. The participants were 172 adults aged 65 and older without cognitive impairment who could walk independently. We measured PA using a triaxial accelerometer, step counts, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA). We measured Internet use via a self-report questionnaire, separated by frequency of use into high, moderate, and low or no use. We performed a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple logistic regression to examine the relationship between Internet use and PA.ResultsWe included a total of 172 older adults (72.0 ± 5.5 years; 78.5% female). The group that used the Internet with moderate frequency exhibited higher daily step counts than the group that used the Internet with low frequency or not at all (moderate frequency: 7,888 steps > low frequency or no use: 6,070.6 steps). Compared to the group that used the Internet at a moderate frequency, older adults with a low frequency or those who did not use the Internet were less likely to meet the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) regarding PA [odds ratio (OR): 0.242; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.077–0.751].ConclusionOlder adults with a low frequency of Internet use or those who did not use the Internet (i.e., those who used the Internet less than once a week or not at all, respectively) were less likely to meet the WHO’s recommended levels for PA than older adults who used the Internet with moderate frequency. The findings of this study can inform efforts to reduce age-related health risks and promote strategies for encouraging PA.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1537309/fullphysical activityInternet useolder adultsaccelerometerWHO |
| spellingShingle | Yen-Yu Chung Jiaren Chen Mei-Chun Lin Ruo-Lan Liu Jenn-Bang Wu Hsin-Chang Tsai Ting-Fu Lai Ting-Fu Lai Yung Liao Yung Liao Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Jong-Hwan Park Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity Frontiers in Public Health physical activity Internet use older adults accelerometer WHO |
| title | Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity |
| title_full | Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity |
| title_fullStr | Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity |
| title_short | Older adults’ Internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer-derived physical activity |
| title_sort | older adults internet use behavior and its association with accelerometer derived physical activity |
| topic | physical activity Internet use older adults accelerometer WHO |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1537309/full |
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