Fear of falling, physical activity volume, and stage of motivational readiness to change physical activity behaviour in adults in late midlife

The purpose of this research was to study the fear of falling, physical activity levels, and interest in increasing physical activity in adults between the ages of 50 and 70. Fear of falling (FOF) was operationalized as falls efficacy. Intensity, type, and time of physical activity (PA) levels were measured for men and women. Moderate and vigorous intensities of physical activity (MVPA) were studied in terms of national guidelines for MVPA, domains of PA were work, travel, and recreation, and PA time was measured in minutes per week for each type and intensity, and converted to energy expenditure. Interest in increasing PA was represented by Stages of Motivational Readiness to Change Physical Activity Behaviour (SOC). A survey using online and paper methods was conducted in Prince Edward Island, with 147 participants. The main findings included three predictive models of FOF found through multiple linear regression analysis. Common to these models was that women in lower socioeconomic levels are at higher risk of FOF in this cohort. When combined with lower recreational PA in terms of either intensity or volume (intensity, type, and duration), or lower interest in increasing PA, women in lower socioeconomic levels were at an even greater risk of FOF and falls.