Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40545526›Full record

SynthesisThe international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity2025

Correlates and determinants of physical activity among older adults of lower versus higher socio-economic status: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Olivia S Malkowski, Jessica Harvey, Nick P Townsend, Mark J Kelson, Charlie E M Foster, Max J Western, Physical Activity Inequalities in Later Life consortium

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in The international journal of behavioral nutrition and physical activity, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Olivia S MalkowskiCentre for Motivation and Behaviour Change, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Jessica HarveyCentre for Motivation and Behaviour Change, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK.
Nick P TownsendCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Mark J KelsonInstitute of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Department of Mathematics, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Charlie E M FosterCentre for Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences, School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
Max J WesternCentre for Motivation and Behaviour Change, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UK. M.J.Western@bath.ac.uk.
Physical Activity Inequalities in Later Life consortium

Funding

Economic and Social Research Council ES/P000630/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnderstanding socio-economic differences in the factors influencing physical activity among older adults is essential for developing comprehensive interventions. We aimed to quantify the associations of modifiable correlates and determinants on physical activity among older adults of lower versus higher socio-economic status in the United Kingdom.

methodsIn this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus from inception to December 2023, for peer-reviewed studies published in English, investigating associations between a modifiable factor as an independent variable and physical activity as a dependent variable, by socio-economic status (defined according to various area- and individual-level indicators, including neighbourhood deprivation, wealth or income, education, and occupational class), in samples of community-dwelling older adults aged 60+ years in the United Kingdom. Hospitalised and institutionalised populations were excluded. Random effects meta-analyses were performed separately for people of lower and higher socio-economic status. Risk of bias was assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. This study was registered with the International prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO; CRD42022351708).

resultsSearches identified 11,472 references; seventy-seven studies met the selection criteria, of which fifty-one contributed to meta-analyses (N range = 134-29,280). Of the exposures positively associated with physical activity, physical function, social participation, and perception of general health had the largest effect sizes (standardised mean difference [SMD] range = 0.53-0.81; I

conclusionsOur results suggest researchers need to better understand discrepancies in the prevalence of the assessed correlates (e.g., fewer participants of lower socio-economic status reported good physical function) to inform policies that reduce inequalities in older adults' physical activity levels. However, most studies were cross-sectional. Future longitudinal and experimental research should gauge the suitability of these correlates as intervention targets.

Indexed as

ExerciseSocial ClassAgedFemaleHumansIndependent LivingMaleMiddle AgedSocioeconomic FactorsUnited KingdomCorrelatesHealth inequalitiesMeta-analysisOlder adultsPhysical activitySocio-economic statusSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID40545526
PMCPMC12183859

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.