New Study: No Difference in Physical Activity Levels Between 19-Year-Olds and 60-Year-Olds

Surprisingly, a 60-year-old grandparent and their 19-year-old grandchild have more in common than you might think. For starters, their physical activity levels are remarkably similar, according to a new study by Johns Hopkins University.

"Physical activity levels in adolescence are alarmingly low, and by age 19, they resemble those of 60-year-olds," says Vadim Zipunnikov, the study's lead researcher.

To assess physical activity levels across different ages, the researchers utilized data from a large national study that tracked 12,529 Americans wearing activity-measuring watches continuously for seven days. These watches recorded the amount of time participants spent sitting or lying down, and engaging in light, moderate, or intense physical activity. Participants were divided into five groups: children (6-11), adolescents (12-19), young adults (20-29), midlife adults (31-59), and older adults (60-84).

The only group that showed an increase in activity levels was young adults in their twenties, the researchers say. Compared to adolescents, this group is more active in the mornings. This change is likely related to starting full-time work and sometimes establishing a family, which demands more vigorous morning activity.

In all age groups, men were more active than women, particularly in intense physical activity. However, after age sixty, men's activity levels dropped significantly compared to women's. Among those over sixty, it is women who engage more in intense physical activity.

The study found that even among children, who are generally assumed to be active through play, the World Health Organization's recommendations for physical activity are not being met. For children aged five to 17, the WHO recommends at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity daily, but most girls and between a quarter to half of the boys in these age brackets, the researchers say, do not meet this guideline.

The study also examined the daily time frames when each age group is most physically active. For instance, school-age children are primarily active between two and six in the afternoon. "The big question," says Zipunnikov, "is how to implement changes in daily routine, such as within schools, to create conditions that encourage more physical activity."