LIFE-CYCLE PATTERNS OF PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AMONG SEDENTARY AND ACTIVE OLDER WOMEN

Federal studies report that health-promoting physical activity declines markedly over the life course, so that by late life, about half of Canadian elderly women are sedentary. Although some older women are engaged in optimal levels of exercise, others develop lifestyles that are generally sedentary. This divergence of women's pursuit of leisure-time activity requires examination. Focus groups with active and sedentary older women were conducted to explore the variability of participation in health-promoting forms of physical activity over the life course. The life course perspective of Bengston and Allen (1993) provided a framework for the investigation of the life cycle patterns of these women. Although life stages and life events of these women were similar, the pathways of coping with life challenges differed between the two groups. Content analysis highlighted the importance of turning points that led women to either significantly increase or decrease physical activity.