According to the Finnish Act on the Promotion of Sports and Physical Activity, all Finnish residents should have an equal opportunity for physical activity, regardless of their age or health status. In this study, we examine the equal opportunities for physical activity are as they are perceived by the older individuals, focusing on self-reports of their current level of physical activity, willingness to increase the level of physical activity and opportunities for physical activity.
This study uses new cross-sectional data, collected during the years 2017 and 2018 which includes one thousand participants over the age of 75. In addition, we will analyze the incidence, determinants and consequences of unmet physical activity need in old age using pre-existing data from a four-year follow-up study. This study will generate new knowledge on older persons’ opportunities for physical activity and help identify the key factors underlying inequality in physical activity in old age.
Funding
Ministry of Education and Culture in Finland
Research group
Principal investigator
Johanna Eronen, PhD, Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Researchers
Lotta Palmberg, PhD, Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Heidi Leppä, PhD, Likes, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland
Merja Rantakokko, PhD, Assistant professor, Gerontology Research Center, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Collaborators
Eeva Aartolahti, PhD, Institute of Rehabilitation, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland
Centre for Ageing and Supportive Environments (CASE), Lund University, Sweden
Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University, UK