Dr.Biol., Professor S.I. Loginov¹
Research Assistant A.Y. Nikolaev¹
Associate professor, PhD M.N. Malkov^1
1Surgut State University, Surgut

Keywords: physical activity, seniors, sedentary behaviour, Yugra, IPAQ, seniors’ fitness test, Scandinavian walking.

Background. In the context of the commonly acknowledged initiatives to counter the growing physical inactivity of the national population a growing priority is given to physical activity optimization issues. Leading researchers are increasingly concerned by the fast propagation of the habitual sedentary behaviours the world over, and the Russian Yugra North is not an exclusion [4, 14, 2]. Physical activity optimization is interpreted herein as the practical outcome of the institutional capacity building, practical provisioning and other targeted efforts to reverse the trend for physical inactivity and habitual sedentary behaviour via special activation programs. The physical activity optimization programs are highly relevant for every age group and particularly for the senior ones [1]. Nordic walking is commonly recognised an efficient form of physical recreation  to optimise physical activity [10].

Objective of the study was to analyse the senior people’s actual physical activity and improve it up using special Nordic walking practices.

Methods and structure of the study. The study first applied the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to survey 339 seniors of Surgut city including 137 men (40% of the sample) and 202 women (60%) aged 62.25±5.65 years on average. The survey data were processed as recommended by the standard protocol of the base version of IPAQ [8]. The subjects' physical activity was classified into the following 3 groups: (1) low PA with the metabolic equivalent МЕТ<1.5; (2) moderate PA with МЕТ 3-6; and (3) high PA with МЕТ>6. People reporting habitual sedentary behaviour with PA under 10 min per day were classified with a special group. Energy spending rates were computed using the PA compendium [3]. Energy costs were computed by multiplying the PA time by the relevant MET under the relevant class. Total energy costs were produced by summation of the PA-specific energy costs and expressed in МЕТ, with 1 MET = 1.0 kcal/ kg/ hour, an equivalent of 3.5 ml О2/ kg/min (www.ipaq.ki.se). The PA rates were generated and processed using the application software of the authors’ own design. Subject to the physical activity optimisation model piloting experiment were 16 senior women equally split up into Study Group (n=8) and Reference Group (n=8). Every subject reported low PA prior to the experiment. The controlled education impacts (CEI, an independent variable) were designed in form of 3 sessions of Nordic walking practices per week in the SG versus irregular Body Conditioning (BC) practices in the RG, taking 12 weeks in total. The subjects’ physical fitness (PF) was rated prior to and after the Nordic walking course using the relevant seniors’ physical fitness test set [13]. The set included the following seven tests: sit-and-stand test to rate the low limbs functionality; arm bending with 2.5kg weight to rate the upper limbs functionality; 2- and 6-minute walking tests to rate aerobic endurance; lower limbs flexibility test; upper limbs flexibility test; and stand-and-go (2.5m to and fro) test to rate dynamic balancing skills. The test data were statistically processed using the Statistica 10 software toolkit (StatSoft, USA); followed by computation of the mean arithmetic value <X>, standard deviation <SD>, and 0.95 confidence interval <0.95 CI>. The mean values were matched using the Student test; plus the Wilcoxon matched pairs test for non-parametric statistics, with difference rated as significant at p <0.05.

Study results. The male respondents reported higher work-related weekly PA versus the female ones who are more active at home and outdoors. The female and male respondents reported predominantly moderate- and highly-intensive physical activity, respectively, with the overall physical activity and walking intensities found gender-unspecific. The male respondents were found more prone to sedentary behaviour versus female (2546.5 min/ week versus 2447.7 min/week): see Table 1.

Table 1. Physical activity rates of the Surgut seniors, X (0,95 CI)

* Significant difference at р≤0.05.

Analysis of the sedentary time versus the PA intensity levels showed that 67% of the low active males sit 3 hours a day and 30% - 6 to 9 hours a day; versus 51% of the low active women sitting 6 to 9 hours a day and 50% - 9 to 12 hours a day. We consider these combinations of the low-intensive PA with long sitting times highly detrimental to health and they need to be corrected. It is also quite logical that the highly active male (33%) and female (50%) respondents report sitting up to 3 hours a day: see Figure 1 hereunder.

Figure 1. Senior male (A) versus female (B) Surgut population physical activity categories versus sedentary behaviour classified by quartiles of 0-180; 181-360; 361-540; and 541-720 min a day

The data given шn Figure 1 show that the moderate-active males share tends to fall and the low-active males share tends to grow with the growing sedentary time; whilst in the female population the shares stay virtually the same.

Prior to the Nordic walking piloting experiment, the SG and RG were the same in all the tests, and the test rates were normal in the sit-and stand, arm bending, 6-min walking, lower limbs flexibility and stand-and-go tests; with the only difference noted in the upper limbs flexibility and 2-min walking tests: see Table 2. After the Nordic walking piloting experiment, the SG showed progress versus RG in the following tests: sit-and-stand, arm bending, and 2- and 6-min walking tests.

Table 2. Nordic walking piloting experiment benefits as verified by the physical fitness test rates of the female seniors, X±SD

* SG “prior to” vs. SG “after” data difference significant at p <0.05; ^#RG ”after” vs. SG “after” data difference significant at p <0.05;;  SD standard deviation 

Discussion. The Surgut seniors’ PA expressed in summarised МЕТ-minutes per week at work, transportation, home and leisure was estimated at 2487.6 [2405; 2571; 0.95 CI]. This figure is notably lower than in Norway [6] and Croatia [9]: 4240 (2155, 8916) МЕТ-min/ week and 3492 (3174, 3810) МЕТ-min/week, respectively; albeit higher than in Sweden: 1536 (861, 2856) МЕТ-min/ week [5]. Sedentary behaviour in 32 European countries is estimated to average 309 min per business day (SD 185) or 5.25 hours a day. Accelerometer data of the Finnish adults show that the sedentary behaviour account for 60% of day time with moderate-intensity PA in between the sleep and work time [7].

In the physical fitness rates, the Surgut female seniors were found close to the Polish and Croatian ones [12, 11]. Statistically significant differences were found only in the sit-and-stand (lower limbs flexibility); stand-and-go (dynamic balancing); and 6-minute walking (aerobic endurance) tests. The normally physically active senior women versus the insufficiently active women showed better rates in the 6-minute walking tests associated with the lower heart rate after the training sessions; and reportedly lower fatigue rates after the tests [12]. Statistically significant differences in the Surgut female seniors’ test rates were found in the following tests: sit-and-stand (lower limbs flexibility); arm bending (arm strength); and 6-minute walking (aerobic endurance) tests. No differences were found in the dynamic balancing skills data.

Therefore, we have grounds to state that the regular 12-week Nordic walking practices are more efficient than the irregular BC practices as verified by the statistically significant differences in the physical fitness rates – that demonstrate benefits of the controlled educational impacts of the proposed training model.

Conclusion. It is important to advance gender-specific studies of the Nordic walking effects on larger samples including male population. Individualized physical activity optimization programs are required to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour. Such programs implemented by the Local Non-governmental Centres may effectively optimize the physical activity of Northern people.

The study was performed at the Biomechanics and Kinesiology Laboratory of the Sport Science Centre of the Humanitarian Education and Sports Institute of Surgut State University with the financial support from the Russian State Research Fund and the Education and Youth Policy Department of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Region-Yugra under the “Senior Urban Population of the Siberian North (KhMAR-Yugra) Physical Activity Optimisation” Project #16-16-86006

 References

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Corresponding author: apokin_vv@mail.ru;

Abstract

The article gives IPAQ survey data for 339 seniors of Surgut city including 137 men (40% of the sample) and 202 women (60%) aged 62.25±5.65 years on average. The survey data showed the male respondents being reportedly more physically active (PA) at work versus the female ones who are more active at home and in the country. The female and male respondents reported predominantly moderate- and high intensity physical activity, respectively, with the overall physical activity and walking intensities found gender-unspecific. The male respondents were found more prone to sedentary behaviour (2546.5 min/ week versus 2447.7 min/week reported by women). The Scandinavian walking practices were found beneficial as verified by the physical fitness test rates in the women’s Study Group.

It is important to advance gender-specific studies of the Nordic walking sport effects on larger samples with broader representation of male population. Individualized physical activity optimization programs are required to promote physical activity and reduce habitual sedentary behaviour. Such programs implemented by the Local Non-government Centres may effectively optimize the physical activity of Northern people.