Physical Activity Patterns and Nutritional Intake in Maintaining Physical Fitness in Older Adults
Keywords:
physical activity, dietary habits, perceived physical fitness, older adults, correlational studyAbstract
This study aims to analyze patterns of physical activity and nutritional intake in relation to the physical fitness of older adults. The research method employed a descriptive quantitative approach using a survey of 30 older adults aged ?60 years in the Gurun Panjang Utara village. The instrument consisted of a closed-ended questionnaire based on a Likert scale (1-5), which had been tested for validity and reliability using SPSS version 26.0. Descriptive analysis showed that the elderly participants' physical activity fell into the moderate category (mean = 3.25; SD = 0.35), their nutritional intake tended to be unbalanced (mean = 2.95; SD = 0.45), and the majority's physical fitness was in the "poor" category (mean = 3.18; SD = 0.42). Simple correlation results confirmed a significant relationship between physical activity and physical fitness (r = 0.524; Sig. = 0.004) as well as between nutritional intake and physical fitness (r = 0.428, Sig. = 0.019), while the direct relationship between physical activity and nutritional intake was not significant (r = 0.312; Sig. = 0.087). These findings reinforce the current literature that physical fitness in older adults is the result of a synergy between regular physical activity and a balanced nutritional intake, and is optimized through multicomponent interventions. This study is expected to provide a theoretical contribution to the development of sports science and gerontology, as well as practical benefits for public health programs aimed at improving the quality of life for older adults.
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