Sport and physical activity in old age: socio-structural context and the relationship to health

Objectives: The following contribution analyses the sociostructural context of sport as well as the relationship between sport/physical activity and h ealth among older people (greater than or equal to 60 years). Methods: The data are part of a telephone-survey by random sample with 436 realised cases in the independent cities of the Western Ruhr-District and t hus represent a situation in highly urbanised areas. Results: in the cardinal question concerning the meaning of sport and physi cal activity for health a positive relationship was found, in particular be tween sport intensity and health measured by Advanced Activities of Daily L iving (AADL) as well as for sport as hobby, which showed a highly significa nt relationship with subjective health. With regard to sociodemographic var iables results show that sport and physical activity vary with gender and a ge. Apart from that attitudes like tow external control for one's health as well as the value of appearance show strong relationships with sport parti cipation. Stratification variables with the exception of income only show w eak effects. Conclusions: The results, which are partly not congruent, indicate that fur ther research is needed in the field of sport and health among the aged.