Table 2.
Cells show mean (standard deviation) for demographic, fitness, and physical activity variables broken down by age and fitness groups. MMSE=mini-mental status exam; BMI=body mass index; SBP=systolic blood pressure; DBP=diastolic blood pressure.
| Variable | Young Adults |
Older Adults |
Older Adults LF |
Older Adults HF |
Young vs. Old (p-value) |
LF vs. HF (p-value) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | 36 | 189 | 47 | 47 | ||
| Age | 22.1 (3.0) | 65.1 (4.4) | 64.6 (3.7) | 64.5 (4.1) | p < .001 | NS |
| Percent Female |
64% | 68% | 62% | 57% | NS | NS |
| MMSE | - | 28.9 (1.0) | 28.8 (1.0) | 29.0 (1.1) | NS | NS |
| Education | 15.6 (2.0) | 16.0 (2.9) | 15.7 (2.9) | 16.4 (2.7) | NS | NS |
| BMI | - | 30.8 (5.6) | 33.9 (5.9) | 27.7 (3.8) | - | p < .001 |
| SBP | - | 131.6 (13.2) |
133.4 (14.6) |
131.2 (14.0) |
- | NS |
| DBP | - | 79.4 (7.5) | 78.9 (7.4) | 79.8 (6.7) | - | NS |
| Fitness (VO2max) |
- | 19.8 (4.8) | 15.0 (3.2) | 25.0 (3.9) | - | p < .001 |
| Fitness males (VO2max) |
- | 22.48 (5.3) | 16.6 (3.0) | 27.8 (3.1) | - | p < .001 |
| Fitness females (VO2max) |
- | 18.59 (3.9) | 14.0 (2.9) | 22.9 (3.0) | - | p < .001 |
| Avg daily minutes Light |
- | 258.0 (66.0) |
254.5 (73.7) |
250.4 (52.1) | - | NS |
| Median daily minutes MVPA* |
- | 38.0 (32.9) |
38.0 (29.9) |
34.8 (36.5) | - | NS |
Median is presented for MVPA (moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) because the variable was skewed, value in parenthesis is the inter-quartile range; p-values for MVPA are based on independent samples t-tests on the natural log transformed MVPA variable. LF=lower fit and HF=higher fit, and it should be noted by the group averages that all participants in both groups are still on the bottom half of the population for cardiorespiratory fitness compared to their age and gender matched peers (ACSM, 2013). This is not surprising given the sample was screened to be relatively low in self-reported physical activity in order to enter an exercise training intervention.