Sind Bewegungsmuffel auch Sportmuffel

: Sporting activity is proven to decline with advancing age. But do older adults replace sporting activity with physical activity like walking and cycling for transportation purposes, and are people with a history of sporting activity more likely to integrate physical activity in their day-today lives? There is a proven negative correlation between sporting activity and overweight, a major risk factor for numerous diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between walking/cycling for transportation and sporting activity/overweight, while controlling other variables. This representative study, which includes 50 to 70 year old people from Baden-Wurttemberg, is sponsored by the Landesstiftung Baden-Wurttemberg (N=2002). People who say they use a bicycle for transportation on a regular basis, and those who go for walks on a regular basis, are significantly more likely to engage in sports than people who do not go for walks or cycle regularly. The correlation applies after controlling sociodemographic and lifestyle relevant variables. With regard to the correlation between physical activity and overweight, the results show that older adults who go for walks regularly are more likely to be overweight than those who do not. In contrast, those who use a bicycle for transportation on a regular basis are significantly less likely to be overweight. Older adults who do not work out do not compensate for this by physical activity in their day-today lives, i.e., no work out = no physical activity. In recognition of the biological and medical role of sporting activity and exercise for preserving health, exercising and doing sports is of special importance especially for older adults.