Authors: Andrzej Knapik, Jerzy Rottermund, Aneta Warmuz-Wancisiewicz, Jolanta Witanowska

Published online: 21 November 2014

Background: Research of health determinants confirmed its beneficial relationships with the optimum level of physical activity at any age. The problem is the physical passivity of societies. In the elderly, this problem is of particular importance, which is conditioned by both biological factors and social. This justifies the diagnosis of relationships: the barrier activity – activity – well-being.

Material/Methods: 393 people were tested: 216 women and 177 men aged 65 – 85 years. A questionnaire with closed questions was used as a tool in the research. Physical activity was examined using selected questions of Baecke questionnaire, barriers to physical activity using a scale KCS, and self-assessment of health – by using the SF-36.

Results: Correlation analysis of age and the activity showed a low relationship for the women and no relationship for the men. There were no differences in activity due to sex, either due to the occurrence of chronic diseases. There is a weak correlation between age and kinesiophobia among women, no relationship was found in the group of men. Prevalence of chronic diseases differentiated the level of kinesiophobia only in women. Analysis of health self-assessment showed a relatively well-being in the test – the average PC and MC were above 50 points.

Conclusions: Women represent a lower level of physical activity than men, but at an older age, these differences are no longer statistically significant. However, the level of activity barriers is still higher. Aging is a process which varies greatly individually, and this applies to activity, its barriers, and self-assessment of health. Age is not a category that fully explains the complex issues depending on the variables examined.