Research of interest...

Here are highlights from three research papers that investigated older adults and playing sports – from three varying perspectives. 

Two of the papers addressed the issue of motivation, and the third one sought to identify the population segment most likely to engage in regular exercise.

The first is from an Australian group that combed through 1732 studies to select 30 for a drill-down.

Journal of Sport and Health Science

Volume 9, Issue 6, December 2020, Pages 530-541

Reasons why older adults play sport: A systematic review

This research was a meta-analysis of 30 studies that addressed the question of why older adults participate in sports. 

The results should surprise no Age-defying Athlete Project (ADAP) participant, because they echo what ADAP has learned from interviews with almost 100 men and women from August 2023 until August 2024.

According to the analysis, “Five main themes emerged from the studies in regard to why people participated in sport. These reasons were related to health, social groups/community, relationships, competition/achievement, and successful ageing.”

So far, so good.  But one of its most intriguing conclusions dealt with competition.

As the authors note: “Competition as a source for motivation for sport participation by older age groups might be underestimated. Despite older people not being able to compete in sports in the same way they did when they were younger, the desire to challenge their own limits and abilities, set goals and achieve them, and be successful in their chosen sport at an appropriate level are key drivers of sport participation.

“This is perhaps in contrast to the stereotypical view of older people, who are often negatively perceived as slowing down, no longer being physically able, and not being driven or motivated to succeed.

“Our review found that, for those still participating in sport, competition and challenge are important, and that older people take pleasure in achieving goals that help break down age-related stereotypes. Sport provides an opportunity for some older people to actively seek out and engage in competition. Sport can a healthy and constructive part of the ageing process for those who choose to participate.”

Needless to say (but I’ll say it anyway!), satisfying aging was important to participants in these 30 studies:

“The contribution of sport to the experience of successful ageing is evident from the data gathered in our review. Successful ageing has been defined as ‘multidimensional, encompassing the avoidance of disease and disability, the maintenance of high physical and cognitive function, and sustained engagement in social and productive activities’.

“More recently, the definition has been expanded to include emotional health and well-being. Although 17 of the studies specifically mentioned successful ageing as a motivation for sport participation, all 30 studies in our review reported reasons for participation in sport that directly contribute to the experience of successful ageing. Sport plays an important role in promoting successful ageing for older people because it contributes to the multifaceted nature of successful ageing as currently defined.”

The second study also sought to identify reasons for continued participation in a sport – in this case, rugby.

Leisure Studies

Volume 35, Issue 5, 2 September 2016, Pages 549-563

Old bodies, young hearts: a qualitative exploration of the engagement of older male amateur rugby union players in Taiwan

This look at older Taiwanese men who continue to play rugby has some fascinating findings:

“The world’s population is ageing. Engagement in physical activities that assist people to age in good health while enjoying quality of life are critical considerations for practitioners and policy-makers.

“In 1913, the sport of Rugby Union was introduced to Taiwan. As a form of recreational activity, the game became popular among Taiwanese males.

“In recent years, older players have sought to facilitate their continued involvement in an activity that is normally played as a full-contact sport. Why these individuals continue to play, how they perceive their experience and how the sport has evolved to maintain their interest and active involvement are especially interesting to explore.

“Study participants were specifically chosen from an established Taiwanese rugby union club. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in 2013 with 15 amateur rugby players aged from 54 to 83 years.

“Results indicated that the main motivations for participants to continue playing was that it gave them ‘a sense of nostalgia and pride’, ‘lifelong friendship and belonging’, ‘pure joy and passion’, with considerations of being ‘mentally and physically active’, keeping up an involvement in ‘a real man’s sport’ and maintaining a sense of one’s ‘self-identity’ with ‘responsibility and commitment’ towards this chosen sport.

“Findings suggest that leisure providers need to be aware of the opportunities for reducing constraints and providing adaptations that allow older adults to immerse themselves in physically active pursuits integral to enjoying a fruitful ageing journey.”

Hear, hear…

Another Asian country, South Korea, offers a different tack on older adults who play sports.

Springer Nature Link

19 October 2023, Volume 23, article number 676, (2023)

Analysis and prediction of older adult sports participation in South Korea using artificial neural networks and logistic regression models

The South Korean population is one of the oldest in the world. The country’s  National Statistical Office predicts that by 2070, the life expectancy of Koreans will be a whopping 89.5 years for men and 92.8 years for women.

An elderly population can contribute greatly to public health care expenditures, so the South Korean government was interested in learning what citizen profile was the most likely to reduce health care consumption by maintaining better well-being through playing sports. Such information would help predict utilization patterns, and, presumably, enable better management of health care assets.

This study segmented older adults by two sets of variables: their demographic characteristics, and their exercise practices.

What the study concluded was that the cluster composed of married women in their 60s who participated in active exercise – probably three times a week – offered the greatest opportunity to reduce medical expenses.

Let’s hear it for adults who play sports in later life!