G5 Artikkeliväitöskirja
Context-related physical activity and sedentary behaviour before and after retirement: GPS and accelerometer-based study
Tekijät: Pasanen, Sanna
Kustannuspaikka: Turku
Julkaisuvuosi: 2025
Sarjan nimi: Turun yliopiston julkaisuja - Annales Universitatis Turkunesis D
Numero sarjassa: 1881
ISBN: 978-952-02-0156-2
eISBN: 978-952-02-0157-9
ISSN: 0355-9483
eISSN: 2343-3213
Verkko-osoite: https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-02-0157-9
In addition to individual and social factors, many environmental factors can modify physical activity. However, few studies have focused on older age groups. The aims of this dissertation were to examine the contexts in which physical activity and sedentary behaviour takes place before and after statutory retirement, and how natural vegetation, i.e., greenness, relates to physical activity. The study also examined changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour during retirement, in relation to physical activity linked to pre-retirement work and commuting. The data was derived from the Finnish Retirement and Aging study (n=102−137) and from the Enhancing Physical Activity and Healthy Aging among Recent Retirees trial (n=45−53), and was collected using a device with GPS and accelerometer sensors.
On workdays, more time was spent, and more physical activity and sedentary time accumulated, in non-home locations than at home. Conversely, on days off, more sedentary time and physical activity accumulated at home. Greater exposure to green space during active travel (i.e., trips made in physically active ways) was associated with higher total and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during active travel. However, these associations were observed on days off and on retirement days, but not on workdays. Greater residential greenness was positively associated with the level of retirees’ physical activity. In addition, MVPA at home or during active travel increased to a greater extent during the physical activity intervention among retirees with the greatest exposure to residential greenness. Pre-retirement work-related and commuting physical activity predicted changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour during retirement transition.
To conclude, this study shows that physical activity and sedentary behaviour are associated with different contexts. The results also highlight the need to distinguish between workdays and non-workdays when analysing the contexts of physical activity and sedentary behaviour among working-age populations. The study observed a positive association between greenness and physical activity, both overall and during active travel. Thus, accessible, good quality green spaces in residential areas and around pedestrian and bicycle lanes may promote physical activity among late middle-aged people.